Should you happen to come across Steel Union's biography on either their Facebook or Twitter pages, you would see their names and that they like harmony and dobros. Well, I too like harmony and dobros. I've talked about what a sucker I am for great harmonies multiple times in the past, but haven't said as much about my love of the dobro. Ah the dobro, a very cool instrument that gets very little recognition these days. I feel like the only time you really see them anymore is as part of a bluegrass group. Another reason to appreciate bluegrass. But mainstream country music has seemingly turned its back on the poor dobro. So anytime it pops up is a cause for celebration. I somehow always forget how much I love that instrument until I hear it. This is a shame because I happen to own a dobro that I attempted to learn how to play a few years ago. My use of the word attempted should be a clue as to how well that endeavor turned out. But since discovering this trio, I've been feeling inspired to give it another shot. A better one.
You know, it's great when you find a singer or group that you like and even better when you find a new one to love. It's great to hear a song that makes you want to dance and even better to find one that touches your heart. Then there's times when you discover a new singer or musician that can inspire you to either develop a talent or try your hand at learning a new one. Or to go back to something you had abandoned. Finding someone like that is truly special. Even more so? Finding a group where each of the members inspires you in different ways. This is what I have found in Steel Union.
So who is Steel Union? It is a new country trio that has been compared to groups like Little Big Town or Lady Antebellum. They also remind me a lot of the now broken up Eden's Edge. Steel Union consists of the incredibly talented Rachel Potter, Donny Fallgatter and Josh Matheny. Both Donny and Josh were formerly part of the country band KingBilly. Rachel has performed on Broadway and been on musical tours. She released a solo country album last year, Not So Black and White, which was easily one of my top three favorite albums of 2015. You can find a review of said album here and my list of my top 16 favorite albums of 2015 here.
I've been wanting to write about these guys since I first watched one of their videos a few months ago. My discovery of Steel Union started off where so many of my newest musical discoveries have come from: the wonderful world of a cappella music. First, there was Home Free and it was through them that I discovered VoicePlay. This introduced me to Rachel, who has done three videos with them to date. All of which will be featured in this series at some point because they are all wonderful. And of course, becoming a fan of Rachel's is what led me to Steel Union. Checking out the artists that the people you already like talk about is a great way to discover new music.
In the meantime, get nice and comfortable while you learn "The Truth About Cheating".
In the meantime, get nice and comfortable while you learn "The Truth About Cheating".
Let's first take a moment to appreciate the beauty that is Josh Matheny's dobro. Did I mention that I love that instrument? I had some difficulty deciding which of their videos to write about first, but ultimately I couldn't resist the call of the dobro. It adds so much color and feeling to the song and Josh plays it just beautifully. That opening lick and the solo at the bridge - so good. He's what I would consider to be an intelligent player in that he seems to pick his moments. Knowing when to pull back and let the lyrics shine and when to let it rip is a skill that I wish more musicians had.
You know who else knows when to pull back? Rachel. If you've never heard her sing before, well, I'm sorry for your life up until this point because that's a shame. It seems like I always say this when I write about her, but it's true: she's the kind of singer who inspires other singers to get better. She's a powerhouse of a singer, but as you see (and hear) here she's good at harmony as well. You get more of a taste of what she's capable of closer to the end.
The strongest thing about Steel Union, though, has to be how well their voices fit together. It's like they were made to be a trio. Now it only seems fair to talk about Donny, lest he should feel left out by this point. And because he'd be the one singing the lead. On a non-musical note, he's a pretty incredible photographer. His Instagram (@donnyfallgatter) is ridiculous (i.e. awesome). He simultaneously makes me want to both improve as a photographer and never take another picture again because what's the point? The struggle is real, folks. Meanwhile, in thinking about his vocal delivery, there were two words that automatically came to mind. Straightforward and honest. No vocal acrobatics here; he just kind of lays it out there, which is exactly what this song needed. It's a strong lyric and I like that they kept the vocals simple and let them speak for themselves. As Harlan Howard once said, "Country music isn't nothing but three chords and the truth." You want to see how good a lyric is, take away any and all frills and see how it holds up. I'd say this one holds up very well. Very well, indeed. Ladies and gentlemen, I believe that we have here is a stone cold country song. We could always use more of them.
I had the opportunity to see them live for the first of hopefully many times and I'm delighted to say that they are better live. They are currently unsigned and I find this to be completely unacceptable. Nashville, I'm going to need you to wake up and get on this. Steel Union should be on a record label. They should have an album and they should be on a major tour of some sort. They should be on the Opry stage. Saying that I have faith in them would be an understatement.
If you like what you saw, please share it with your family and friends. If you like them, watch their videos (all found on Rachel's YouTube channel, which will be linked below) and be sure to like and follow them on social media. You can find them in the following places:
Comments
Post a Comment