Barrett Davis released his latest album “The Ballad of Aesop Finn” earlier this October. Davis, a former carpenter from North Carolina, drew from his roots to fuze together indie and bluegrass sounds.
Davis creates the narrative of a fictional character, Finn, through the eight tracks of the album. Each song connects to tell the story, but they are also digestible as individual tunes.
The album kicks off with “Highway 64,” a song about running moonshine. The repetition on the track builds, allowing the listener to feel the uncertainty the character in the song is also feeling. It’s like Davis’ own “Copperhead Road,” just more indie-sounding.
Davis then leads into three songs that have an incredible energy to them. “Quiver,” featuring Grammy-winning Steep Canyon Rangers frontman Woody Platt, is the kind of song that would be played at the end of a feel-good movie. It’s happy and brings the listener good emotions. The same emotion also radiates off “Carolina Still.”
The best track off the album is “Oh Sleeper.” The harmony is thick and sweet like honey. It can be best compared to something by Jason Isbell and the 400 unit. It is the love song on the album, and it feels like one, but it’s not mushy. It is a perfect hint of strong expression.
Davis toys with a fast grass sound on “Bama Shores.” It starts off slower like the other tracks on the album, but it picks up halfway through with two speedy sections. “Bama Shores” feels like running along a beach, hence the name.
“Lazarus” is arguably the saddest and most indie song on the album, but even then, it is not an upset. It still has a positive air to it. It’s like a breakup that doesn’t sting because it is a mutual understanding. The female harmony rounds out the ache in the track.
The final track on the album is the title track. It wraps together the story and makes the listener understand that the eight songs they listened to all fit together. It makes sense for this song to be last because it is a ribbon around the other seven songs. It brings closure.
Overall, “The Ballad of Aesop Finn” is a solid album. It pleases both indie and bluegrass fans with the way Davis has blended elements on different tracks. The album is best listened to in track order, however, it doesn’t have to be. Davis is newer on the block, but after this latest release, he’ll stick around.
Rating: 4.5/5
