Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys
Album: Ionia
Label: Earthwork
Tracks: 12
Website: http://www.lindsayloumusic.com/

"Ionia" by Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys is an amazing piece of music created out of hard work and experience and some young, spontaneous freshness.

A song like "Sometimes" (the only track not sung by leadsinger Lindsay) is played with such a laid back attitude and such cool self-confidence as if to make this quite clear: These musicians know they are good and are not too eager to please anyone (they do anyway, of course). Lindsay Rilko (Guitar & Vocals), Joshua Rilko (Mandolin & Vocals), Mark Lavengood (Dobro) and PJ George play Americana at its best: Traditional and still full of new ideas like in "House Together", in which we get offered some unexpected funky rhythms.

Then again, it's those engaging melodies as in songs like "River Jordan", "Here Between", "Old Song" or "The Fix" that captivate the listener. Lindsay Lou's diverse vocals with all kinds of shades and plenty of lovely harmonies in the songs make the album really enjoyable. Also, the number of different musical influences of Blues, Bluegrass and Folk make this album as colourful as it is.

Dagmar Brudnitzki