The Milk Carton Kids – The Only Ones (2019) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

The Milk Carton Kids – The Only Ones (2019)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 25:36 minutes | 519 MB | Genre: Pop
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Milk Carton Records

Critically acclaimed The Milk Carton Kids return with The Only Ones, out October 18 via the band’s own Milk Carton Records imprint in partnership with Thirty Tigers. The release follows 2018’s All the Things That I Did and All the Things That I Didn’t Do, dubbed “practically irresistible” by NPR. The new project speaks to the core of what The Milk Carton Kids are about musically-the duo. Off the heels of their last, full band effort, The Only Ones brings them back to their roots.Founded in 2011, The Milk Carton Kids swiftly emerged as a major force in the American folk tradition, blending ethereal harmonies and intricate musicianship with a uniquely powerful brand of contemporary song craft. 2013’s ANTI- debut, The Ash & Clay, proved their national breakthrough, earning The Milk Carton Kids their first Grammy Award nomination, for “Best Folk Album.” A second Grammy nomination for “Best American Roots Performance” followed in 2015, honoring “The City of Our Lady,”from The Milk Carton Kids’ acclaimed third studio album, Monterey.

On the follow-up to 2018’s All the Things That I Did and All the Things That I Didn’t Do, Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan return to their roots on the aptly named Only Ones, an intimate seven-song set that jettisons its predecessor’s expanded lineup, relying solely on the Grammy-nominated duo’s impeccable guitar and vocal skills. Earnest and soul-searching, opener “I Meant Every Word I Said” sets a somber tone, parsing through the wreckage of a failed relationship, while “I’ll Be Gone” adopts a jauntier gait, chronicling the tried-and-true bluegrass/country rambler story arc, albeit in a minor key. The lovely “My Name Is Ana” delivers a heartfelt refugee tale that’s as timely as it is melodically timeless, but that outward gaze is an aberration, as Pattengale and Ryan are confessional singer/songwriters to the core, and will not be deterred from their mission to reflect and connect — the Paul Simon-esque “About the Size of a Pixel” is about as light-hearted as things get, but beneath its warmly lit exterior lies a cold slab of existential dread. Despite the lyrical solemnity, Only Ones emits a cozy fireplace glow that will no doubt transfer well to a live setting — the duo plan to promote the LP via a small venue tour billed as A Night with the Milk Carton Kids in Very Small Venues at Very Low Ticket Prices. For the most part, this approach works about as well as it did on their early releases, resulting in a warm but weary amalgam of the Everly Brothers’ innate musicality and the Avett Brothers’ homespun approachability with a touch of Elliott Smith’s downcast ruminations tossed in for good measure. ~ James Christopher Monger

Tracklist:
01. The Milk Carton Kids – I Meant Every Word I Said (04:14)
02. The Milk Carton Kids – I’ll Be Gone (02:24)
03. The Milk Carton Kids – The Only Ones (02:32)
04. The Milk Carton Kids – My Name is Ana (03:35)
05. The Milk Carton Kids – As the Moon Starts to Rise (03:57)
06. The Milk Carton Kids – About the Size of a Pixel (02:23)
07. The Milk Carton Kids – I Was Alive (06:26)

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