Having been intrigued by the full sound Turkey the Bird get from their 3-member line-up it’s been great to hear a full album of their music which brings so much warmth and sits somewhere between folk and country. Their eclectic line-up features Irishman, Adrian Whelan on bass and guitar, Swiss-Kiwi (and how cool is that?!), Andre Manella on guitar and bass drum and full Kiwi, Sol Bear Coulton on banjo. All three sing and their voices meld together and become one voice like The Staves, but with beards.
There are up tempo songs like ‘You Gotta Do It Right’, ‘Art & Design’ where the banjo drives everything and then songs like ‘This or That’, Everybody Needs a Little Sunshine’ and ‘Cave Rave’ will trigger the clap-along-and-sway gene that we all have within us. The more mellow tracks like ‘Counting Stars’, ‘Free Birds’ and ‘Strangers in My Doorway’ cruise along and let the harmonies wash over you like the warm waves of the Bahamas. And the last track on the album is a cover Cyndi Lauper’s ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’ which injects hoedown-showdown fun, fun, fun and the harmonies shine like diamonds.
They are a group of happy pluckers and once you get to the end of the album you’ll find yourself picking some hay out of your hair and pouring sand out of your shoes. If you’ve even been enthralled by the close harmonies and way-out-in-country sensibilities of Crosby, Stills & Nash or Simon & Garfunkel then fire up the barbeque, stock up on sticks and marshmallows, throw plenty of cold beers in the cooler and get Turkey The Bird on your Bluetooth speaker. Can I get a yeeha? I bet I can.
Turkey The Bird on Facebook | Website
Review by Paul F Cook
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