Mixtape Magazine presents the exclusive premiere of “Trinkets” by Willie Stratton & The Boarding Party
Using the term folk rock to describe a band doesn’t really give any indication of what the music will sound like. It could be a rock band with an acoustic guitar or banjo sprinkled in. Or maybe it’s a band with catchy melodies that you can sing along with but no real substance. Then you get a folk band like Willie Stratton & The Boarding Party. Yes, the banjos are there, but they’re not just some half-assed attempt at sounding folk. The songs are written and played like they matter, as if every word belted from front person Willie Stratton’s lungs absolutely need to be yelled for his own sanity.
Willie Stratton & The Boarding Party’s new album Deserter comes out on Friday and Mixtape has an exclusive sneak peak of what’s to come for you.
On “Trinkets”, Stratton displays an unstoppable bravado while delivering the promise to “never let you go”, with backing harmonies offering him encouragement as a barrage of dusty guitar and rolling percussion propel him forward. The song shows a side not seen on his previous self-titled album or The River EP.
According to Stratton, Deserter features Inuit throat singing, doo-wop harmonies, dirty cowboy baritone guitar and 60s inspired hooks. “We basically tried to create what would happen if Ennio Morricone was the leader of a girl group,” says Stratton. The new album was recorded in Stratton’s basement along with Callum Gaudet and the rest of his band: Grace Stratton (bass), Dave Fultz (guitar) and Patrick Murphy (Drums).
Deserter will be released on Friday, June 20 at the Seahorse Tavern right after the Matt Anderson show at 12:30 a.m. (Cover will be free at that point).
Photo: Supplied
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