Eleven Mile Creek
Training For Industry

There’s a country spirit behind the music of Eleven Mile Creek and it hits you instantly in opening track ‘The Bridge’. Of course the definition of country these days is a loose one, and if these guys showed up in Nashville, they’d probably be hounded right back out of town, I imagine. What they offer instead is a more folk-styled variant of country, with gently picked guitars, a driving bass-line, and an authentic-sounding violin introducing you to their style.

There is also an obvious working class vision behind these songs that drives them lyrically. You can question the experiences told within them, but alternatively they’re stories, and if an artist like Alasdair Roberts can create a vivid Scottish world with his modern folk, then Eleven Mile Creek equally have the right to paint their own pictures instead of thoughtlessly pegging out sentimental drivel.

What do Eleven Mile Creek do best, though? Well the gentler nature of ‘The Bridge’ and ‘Deep in the Country’ stand out in this release. With the former, it’s in part due to the impressive string arrangements. In the latter, the soft simplicity is its best gift, although the brief guitar solo doesn’t feel completely necessary. ‘Candido y America’ also has its moments, and for those seeking something a bit rockier then it may hold the greatest appeal.

Steven McCarron

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