Rituals vinyl

Plucking themselves and their strings out of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Watchhouse has its foundations in Mandolin Orange, and the duo - songwriter Andrew Marlin (vocals, mandolin, guitar, banjo) and Emily Frantz (vocals, violin, guitar) - haven't necessarily changed since the name switch. A married couple, there's always been this beautiful intimacy in their music, which is often tender, if not strictly quiet. Eight studio albums in and most of the reasons we fell for this Americana-folk-country outfit remain front and centre. The musicianship, at times, is nothing short of spectacular. Check the chord work on 'In The Sun'. The lyrics are capable of stopping you dead, forcing contemplation and reflection. And the overall atmosphere is like the feeling you have after stepping off a train back home. Slow down, re-familiarise, and pay some attention to the subtle things.