These United States
Everything Touches Everything
United Interests
4.5 out of 5 stars
Everything Touches Everything is an album that should place These United States on the verge of mainstream success and should deservedly graduate the band into the larger concert halls of America. It is a crowning achievement of sonic curiosity, and chief songwriter Jesse Elliot should now be considered amongst the best in the art of songcraft.
Recorded in just 10 days at Inner Ear Studios (The Bad Brains, Minor Threat, The Black Keys) in Arlington, Virginia, Everything Touches Everything is a perfect ruckus of folk, rock and country mixed with an indie vibe and stirred with equal parts of originality.
The album is a mesh of their first introspective, headphone album, A Picture of the Three of Us at the Gates to the Garden of Eden, and their second barroom alt country effort, Crimes. Everything Touches Everything will please fans of their previous two efforts and should be the starting point for those who are brave enough to jump on for the ride.
Hailing from Lexington, Ky. and Washington D.C, These United States is a five-piece band that revolves around the song, soaring melodies and tight arrangements. Band members Elliott, Robby Cosenza, J. Tom Hnatow, Justin Craig, and Colin Kellogg, all know their respective roles in relation to each song and Elliot’s lyrics flow in and out in an orchestral fashion.
Songs such as “I Want You To Keep Everything” and “The Secret Door” are set more by the mood than anything. Elliot’s voice does not enter until a mood is established by the instrumentation and when his voice does creep in, each song builds beautifully to the release of the chorus, which is a welcome addition when compared to their last effort, Crimes.
Other album standouts include the pedal steel drive of “Will It Ever,” the slow buildup of “Night & The Revolution,” the sonic experimentation of “The Important Thing” and the hushed quietness of “Good Night Wish.”
If Everything Touches Everything is a sign of things to come, These United States will only continue to surprise and win more fans along the way.
– Jonathan Keller
:: These United States ::
:: Monolith Festival ::
::September 12 ::
