Red Dirt Skinners – Under Utopian Skies
Last month, the Moose sang the praises of Red Dirt Skinners in our New Music in our Mailbox feature. Today Broose Tulloch brings us his review of their new album.
Under Utopian Skies, the latest album from UK folk-roots-jazz duo Red Dirt Skinners – who are now based in Canada – is a great escape from the angry news of the day. Within a few notes, you can feel the detritus of the day slipping away as they whisk you away with caramel smooth melodies and sweet harmony. Almost impossible to pin down their sound, the duo have broken new ground, equidistant from psychedelic prog-rock, Canterbury, smooth jazz, and the Carpenters, in the same vein as The Bible or Alan Parsons Project while picking up awards for both blues and country music. Their refreshingly light jazz-folk take on Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” wonderfully embodies all of the aforementioned qualities. Under Utopian Skies is that deep breath and sigh you so desperately need.
