Note: This review originally appeared in the Illinois Entertainer.
Even at a time when countless indie rock bands are working with the same building blocks of acoustic instruments and lush harmonies, the Virginia-based Red Clover Ghost still stands out. Twins Clint and Gibb Cockrum give these 11 songs a variety of intriguing emotions and arrangements. There's a late 1960's/early 70's vibe in the way the Cockrum brothers weave their vocals together, as well as a persistent air of mystery.
On “If I Could Only Have The Last Time,” Red Clover Ghost takes the chilling ambience of Crosby, Stills & Nash's “Guinnevere,” adds some lilting piano playing, and then pumps up the energy. “Nobody Knows” and “The Prophet” deal with spiritual imagery and the sting of being betrayed by a trusted mentor. “When The Whiskey's Gone” uses an exhilarating hoedown to spin the tale of a man’s encounter with an beguiling woman who dances with him for hours, only to disappear at daybreak. “Bear Hill,” the most rock-oriented track on this impressive debut, finds Red Clover Ghost sounding like vintage R.E.M.
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