The Civil Wars

Since independently releasing Barton Hollow earlier this year, Nashville duo The Civil Wars have gone from relative unknowns to international successes, thanks to endorsements from the likes of Taylor Swift, Jools Holland, and Sarah Bareilles. Like their famous devotees, The Civil Wars are very much a vocal project, co-helmed by folkie powerhouses Joy Williams and John Paul White. In essence, Barton Hollow works as the Americana response to European hitmakers like Damien Rice and The Swell Season; it’s awash in sometimes cutesy, oftentimes gut-wrenching guy-girl vocal pairings that intimately deliver songs about heartbreak and dying love. Among the standouts, “Barton Hollow” succeeds in giving the whole thing some much-needed grit by way of an insistent guitar line and forcefully bluesy arrangement, indicating these two still have plenty of room to grow on album number two. The Civil Wars play a sold-out show at the Lobero on Friday, November 18. Visit clubmercy.com for info