Vigilantes of Love

To the Roof of the Sky
[ A Startled Chameleon (U.K.) Redeye (U.S.)]



Eight discs down the road and V.O.L. songwriter Bill Mallonee has been through a lot more line-ups. This time around the four piece touring band are joined by some other local Athens musicians to produce a straightforward Alt.Country/ R.E.M. flavoured disc.  Live the band push the up-tempo songs more which is a shame as this disc contains some fine quieter acoustic moments. Known in Athens for his willingness to support worthwhile causes, as much as his music-making , Mallonee is a top-rate songwriter who counts Buddy and Julie Miller as close friends and some of the Earle/Miller feel rubs off on his strings. To The Roof Of The Sky is a melodic acoustic/slide strum with a vocal that drifts close to that of Waterboy Mike Scott. There's lyrical depth in the writing as displayed on Son Volt like track Paralyzed which is one of the more up-tempo numbers. Doin' Time with its lilting harmonica and mandolin comes from the same soil as Uncle Tupelo's March 16-20 record. Not everything works though as on the solo acoustic This Time Isn't One Of Them which isn't totally convincing. The major criticism is that at a generous 15 tracks a little bit of pruning would have made the remaining selection appear stronger. Best moments occur when Mallonee drifts away from the formula alt.c and heads back down those folkier paths though as with Opposites True's folkabilly Dylan or closer the hymn-like Farther Up The Road which is straightaways beautiful.

this review appeared first on The Alt-C Page