In honor of it finally being Shovels & Rope week – they play this Friday in Birmingham – it is my absolute joy and obligation as a fan to tell you how incredible and talented they are and how you need to get to know them ASAP. And by get to know them, I mean listen to them, which in my opinion is the same thing, especially in their case.
Shovels & Rope, a duo from Charleston, S.C., consisting of husband and wife Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst, are undoubtedly authentic in the way they have created their raw, Southern sound. Seemingly simplistic with a couple of old guitars, the occasional keyboard, some harmonicas, a beat-up drum kit, tambourines and two voices made for harmonizing, Trent and Hearst successfully remind their listeners of the boundlessness of music-making. In reference to “Birmingham,” their hit single commemorating the band’s formation, Shovels & Rope’s musical motto is summed up in the lyrics, “It ain’t what you got, it’s what you make.”
Before becoming Shovels & Rope, the two were already separately pursuing their own musical careers, Hearst a solo artist and Trent a guitarist frontman for a band called The Films. The two would run into each other on the road or at home, but it didn’t take long for them to appreciate each other’s sound and start writing songs together. Their business relationship accidentally evolved into a romantic one, and the two got married, left their former projects and bravely started from scratch with Shovels & Rope in 2008.
The leap of faith was certainly one worth taking. With their recently released hit album from 2012, “O’ Be Joyful,” Hearst and Trent have remained constant in stealing the hearts of both Southerners and non-Southerners alike. The album is an instant favorite, composed of 11 songs crafted in the pair’s backyard and/or van. The recordings are infused with an undeniable energy, but there is no comparison to hearing them live.
Trent’s honesty is refreshing and compelling. When recording their NPR Tiny Desk Concert, the duo even brought their dog, Townes Van Zandt (Townes for short) along, proudly allowing their down-home attitude to permeate into every aspect of their life.
Have I convinced you they’re awesome yet? If you don’t trust me, at least trust more reliable sources like NPR or Rolling Stone Magazine, who are just two among the many trusted music media outlets who have taken a great interest in Shovels & Rope.
Currently on tour until late April with Hurray for the Riff Raff, a female-led eclectic/bluegrass group, shows are quickly selling out across the board, including their show this Friday in Birmingham at Workplay.
Whether it be their indecipherable Americana/bluegrass/Southern rock sound, the chemistry between the two (which is unreal), the improv nature of their performances or their inability to be anyone but themselves, there is something about this duo that is unlike the rest. In a modern-day musical society of voice enhancers and over-the-top electronic effects, Shovels & Rope transcend the “hype” and instead re-centers listeners’ focus on the authenticity of music in its purest form.
