Welcome to The Family Wash, a musical collective based out of Liverpool, UK, sufficiently blends their musical tastes and ideas in service of that timeless sound with stylistic roots in country and Americana. This is more than just the songs, this is an experience guaranteed to scratch your own musical itch for the stylistic caliber of roots music and the storytelling panache of country music.
When you join The Family Wash, they take you on a journey, an experience, and their debut album “Dirty Laundry” is the epitome of this. An 11-track collection featuring incredible songwriting, impeccable coordination, such vocal fluidity, and spectacular musical arrangements, the family really lures you into a musical escapade that will leave you emotionally, physically, and mentally liberated.
To give you a glimpse of this refined gem of an album, expect an authentic body of work that could become The Family Wash’s most significant and irresistible artistic statement, marking a milestone in their musical career.
The opening track, “I’ll Bring The Stars To You,” is nothing short of a country ballad, with The Family Wash packing an appropriate punch right from the vocal presentation down to the instrumental dexterity.
The signature spark of country emanates from the meticulous arrangement of the acoustic guitar, mandolin, and banjo. Paul breathes life into the lyrical narrative with his robust vocals, and Naomi supports it with her mellifluous voice, injecting this tune with its emotional energy.
Even the inexperienced ear can grasp that tinge of melancholy in the track “The Tide,” and it helps that Dunbar has that particular voice that brings out the gentle nuances and emotions in this track. In a world so dark right now, we need this and much respect once again for dropping such a jewel on this masterpiece.
If you’re feeling down, this song motivates you to improve your situation so it can be your anthem. I haven’t felt goosebumps like this with a country song in a long time. “The Tide” touched me in ways I didn’t expect. The delivery, the message—everything about it stands out and deserves to be on any country music playlist.
‘Well Obviously!’ is another bona fide standout track that transports the listener into the heart of the country scene, evoking the feeling of cruising through Nashville, soaking in the local culture, enjoying a cold beer bought by a stranger at a bar, and listening to an upcoming singer at an open mic session.
This duet from Dunbar and Campbell is perfect, evoking comparisons to Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers’ ‘You Can’t Make Old Friends.’
There is quite a lot to love about the self-titled single “The Family Wash” from the way it builds on a story; the lead vocalist takes the listener with him as he vividly paints pictures with his words in a self-assured manner, allowing the listener to get heavily invested in this storyline and warm presentation.
The entirety of “Dirty Laundry” is imbued with The Family Wash’s distinctive style; the high level of showmanship is a hallmark of their authentic music.
“Dirty Laundry” demonstrates a musical family that can harness the zeitgeist, make it personal, and just as impressively perform the reverse. This is an album showcasing musicians who have already discovered who they are and, in the process, are bound to find a mass audience.
“Dirty Laundry” is guaranteed to consolidate The Family Wash’s success and move them into the stratosphere of superstardom.
“Dirty Laundry” will officially debut on May 26, 2023, and will be available on 12″ black vinyl as a pre-order from crosstownstudios.co.uk and digital download via Bandcamp and streaming services.
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