The Handsome Boatmen record debut album

Thanks to Alan Carmody of the Handsome Boatmen, based in Navan, Co. Meath, for the news that the band have just finished recording their debut album. The BIB mentioned the Lost Brothers a few days ago; the Boatmen's Breaking Tunes site likens their sound to that of the Lost Brothers.

The original Boatmen (shown in the photo), Dorian Bordalo from Mozambique and Alan, started writing songs last year and have performed across Ireland. They spent the summer of 2013 gigging in San Francisco, and since then have added drummer Aimee Mallon, singer Joy Booth, and guitarist Cormac O'Keefe.

Their influences (apart from Alan Lomax recordings) are listed as Bo Diddley, Bob Dylan, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Johnny Cash, Kurt Vile, Leonard Cohen, and My Morning Jacket. Breaking Tunes calls them a bluegrass band; it is fair to say that what this means is that a banjo is used, and that some of their songs could be played and sung in bluegrass style. Their Facebook page says:

The Handsome Boatmen offer a revisionist take on roots Americana that is both fresh, eerily familiar, and ultimately timeless.

Visit the band's Breaking Tunes site (where you can hear four tracks of their music) and judge for yourself.