Chamberlain appears on three of the seven tracks which combine to tell a Civil War coming-of-age and love story written by Black Canyon front man Jake Morisse.
Rich with his guttural twang, elegiac piano arrangements and former Mayola singer Riley Jantzen’s gazillion different instrumental contributions, “Battlefield Darlins” is one of the strongest country-rock offerings this state’s seen in a while, fraught with bloody war drama, plaintive rural imagery and plenty of lyrics about moonshine and dancing. Just wait ’til Jantzen’s trumpet fills the air with sorrow on “Letters of Blood, Banjos of Hope” — you’ll get the chills.
And there just isn’t enough praise for Chamberlain’s work on this album.
Somewhere between doleful and stoic, she sings the heart of a woman fearful and hopeful for her beau’s safe return from war into her arms.
Mark your calendar for the disc’s official release show on Aug. 19 at VZD’s.
Choctaw folker Ryan Lawson and Blue Valley Farmer are billed to open. —Matt Carney
This article appears in Jul 27 – Aug 2, 2011.