The Louvin Brothers – “First Steps: The Early Recordings”
The Louvin Brothers are probably most widely known for their album, “Satan is Real” – but much like Hank Williams, they were pioneers of country and gospel music in the 1950’s. They were one of the original sibling duos of their genre, blending their musical medleys with the harmonized vocals.
The album opens with the song “Alabama” – and it’s a slow paced country song, I do enjoy more of their upbeat and Gospel songs, but it is a nice relaxing song. “Seven Year Blues” and I do enjoy the mandolin playing by Ira on these tracks, their harmony vocals are quite nice. Next we continue with “(I’m Changing the Words To) My Love Song to You” and it’s a more upbeat song, and I do quite enjoy this song. It does give that traditional early country vibe to it. The little mandolin solo is a nice touch. “The Get Acquainted Waltz” comes next, and we slow back down once more – there is a violin solo in this one, with some minor accompaniment by the mandolin again. “Weapon of Prayer” comes next, and I do love when the Louvin Brothers sing their Gospel songs, they do everything perfectly when they do sing it. Once more, Ira and his mandolin in this one. “They’ve Got the Church Outnumbered” comes next, and it’s a Gospel song, it’s slightly more upbeat, we get some beautiful harmony vocals. These brothers deliver some great vocals song after song. “Do You Live What You Preach” follows next, and we get another more upbeat Gospel song, I do love that I am able to tell that after each strum on the guitar they tap on it to give that percussion sound. More mandolin. We end on an very upbeat note, “You’ll Be Rewarded Over There” is a fast paced Gospel song, starting with some fiddle, spectacular harmony vocals, mandolin and some nice guitar playing. I think so far, this has to be one of my favorite songs on this compilation.
“I’ll Live With God (To Die No More)” opens the B-Side, and we dial it back a notch, going into a slow paced Gospel song again with the Louvin Brothers delivering some beautiful harmony vocals. But wait, what’s this? They hit some high notes and pick up the speed a bit for a verse, before we slow it back down again. Once more, we get the high notes and that fast paced verse before the song ends. “Robe of White” continues the album, we get more of those beautiful harmony vocals and that mandolin playing. “You’ll Forget” comes next, and we go back from our Gospel songs to more of the classic country, and this one has some great violin playing in it. “Childish Love” comes next, and we continue with that classic country sound. The brothers deliver more of their harmony vocals as Ira plays his mandolin some more. “The Great Atomic Power” comes next, and it’s another upbeat Gospel song, I do enjoy that they take times singing verses and it’s got a good rhythm to it. “Insured Beyond the Grave” comes next, and we dial it back once more a notch as the brothers sing another beautiful Gospel song. “The Gospel Way” comes next, and we pick up the pace once more as we are greeted with more of the harmony vocals, and just fantastic musicianship. The album closes out with “The Songs and Daughters of God” and it’s a nice, peaceful song. This album has been filled with some of the most beautiful harmony vocals, and amazing mandolin and violin playing.
Catalog Number:
RR-5002
Credits:
None.
Released:
2017
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