The British husband & wife blues rock duo WHEN RIVERS MEET have released the official music video for a new single “Testify” that arrives before a highly anticipated sophomore album titled “Saving Grace” due Friday November 19th 2021, via One Road Records.
Grace Bond (vocals, mandolin and violin) and Aaron Bond (vocals, guitar) create authentic rootsy sounds that sparkle with edginess and have vocals that nod respectfully to Anne Bredon’s folk-style.
Their unique approach to songwriting, with grungy electric guitar and slippery mandolin, delivers gritty and eloquent musicality to contemporary yet minimalist blues-rock sounds that seem inspired by British originators such as Free, Bad Company, and Cream — but also come packaged with hints of vintage 1930s blues.
WHEN RIVERS MEET are the first British Blues band to win four awards in the same year! They achieved the accolade at the UK Blues Awards, held in London, 2021.
We wanted the album to have more of an upbeat rock feel…
Aaron Bond
About the new album, Grace says: “We were very conscious that our debut album We Fly Free was a step up in production from our two EP releases previously The Uprising EP and Innocence of Youth…”
“We also wanted to keep a live, authentic vibe to the new album to retain the energetic feel in the music.”
Aaron adds, “We wanted the album to have more of an upbeat rock feel. We knew exactly what we wanted before we set off to record Saving Grace. We set our expectations high. We’re so pleased with the result and just hope everyone else loves it as much as we do!”
We wanted to keep a live, authentic vibe…
Grace Bond
As with their previous album and two EPs, the new album was recorded at the Boathouse in Suffolk with producer and engineer, Adam Bowers.
“He just gets everything we do and want,” says Grace. “As Adam says, ‘Bring me a drawing, and I will colour it in’, which is a great analogy of how we work together.”
A new feature for the duo is a Hammond organ — introduced onto some of the tracks.
“Testify” (video shared below) has sub-metallic scratchbrush guitar and, with an infestation of spatulate rhythms, the voice splits into the tonal architecture like a wounded highlander wielding one last rusty hack. In other words, this is brave, unrepentant and fearless.
For fans of: Kill It Kid
Words: @neilmach 2021 ©
Photo : Rob Blackham
