Album Reviews

The Whiskey Charmers “Streetlights” Lust for Life Magazine Review (print) by Harry de Jong

June 24, 2024 — Leave a comment

Many thanks to Harry de Jong from “Lust For Life Magazine” in the Netherlands for the amazing review of our album. Translation to English below.

The Whiskey Charmers – Streetlights
The Whiskey Charmers are comprised of the American singer/guitarist Carrie Shepard and guitarist Lawrence Daversa. This duo has no complaints about a lack of performances, because they are constantly on the road through the land of Uncle Sam. He behind the wheel and she with her feet in flashy cowboy boots on the dashboard, the mobile phone at hand. Streetlights is the successor to On The Run, released last year, and actually has hardly any weak spots. That is mainly because The Whiskey Charmers have found a beautiful synthesis of indie pop and alternative country. And that formula works perfectly on this new album full of self-written material. In addition, Daversa is a guitarist who knows how to coax a sparkling sound from his instrument and gives every song an extra dimension with his witty solos. And Shepard’s golden throat does the rest. – Harry de Jong

The Whiskey Charmers “Streetlights” Album Review by Ken Capobianco

June 9, 2024 — Leave a comment

June 8, 2024

The new album from Michigan rockers The Whiskey Charmers, “Streetlights,” elevates their sound to new heights, thanks to some of their most compelling songs, filled with yearning, melancholy, and tentative optimism. The band, led by vocalist/lyricist Carrie Shepard and mercurial guitarist Lawrence Daversa, delivers a confident and evocative set of songs that offers an unflinchingly honest look at love’s disappointments and people who live in the shadows just off the outskirts of town. Many of the songs have a Car Wheels on a Gravel Road feel and, at times, evoke No Depression era rock, but they have a unique sound that splits the difference between Americana and rural rock.

While the finest tracks on the band’s fifth album (“Don’t Mean Nothin,’” “There’s Black”) tilt toward poignant existential doubt or regret, this isn’t a sturm and twang affair.  The album’s finest track, “Black Ridge Cave” is a revenge tale with the narrative economy of latter-day Springsteen and echoes of a John Ford western. It closes with an explosive, melodic solo from Daversa, who tears a hole in the horizon for the narrator to walk through. Much of the album sounds like a conversation between Shepard’s lovely, aching vocals and Daversa’s guitar work, which comments on or accents the songs’ sentiments.  As good as Shepard is as a vocalist and lyricist–and she’s superb– it’s Daversa’s bravura playing here that lingers long after listening.

It would be nice to hear the Charmers kick up some dust and let ‘er rip beyond a mid-tempo pace now and then, but that’s a minor quibble for such an accomplished record. The Whiskey Charmers deserve a wide audience, but musicians can only control so much while making the best music they can. The Charmers can sleep well knowing they have done just that.  

—Ken Capobianco, music correspondent for The Boston Globe and staff writer for Smooth Jazz News

The Whiskey Charmers “On The Run” – Print Review in Lust for Life Magazine (Leading Dutch National Music Mag) – 12/17/22

December 20, 2022 — Leave a comment

(Translated from Dutch)

Singer/guitarist Carrie Shepard and guitarist Lawrence Daversa hail from Detroit and together form The Whiskey Charmers, a duo that draws inspiration from the alternative country variant. Music that leans heavily on indie pop, but which still has an unmistakable country feeling. Carrie and  Lawrence have already released three albums, but On The Run is my first introduction to the music of these passionate musicians. They write beautiful songs with a melancholic undertone and witty lyrics.

Carrie seems to have a penchant for wide-brimmed stetsons and fancy cowboy boots, but she’s anything but a classic country singer. All the talents of this remarkable duo seem to come together in The Devil’s Rodeo: a touching love song, almost a country martyr, in which Daversa split the stars from heaven with his guitar. As far as I’m concerned, the great strength of The Whiskey Charmers lies in these kinds of simple songs. And with that, the two do add something to the alternative country genre

-Harry De Jong – Lust for Life Magazine 12/17/22

The Whiskey Charmers – “On The Run” – review by Ken Capobianco, Boston Globe freelancer and veteran music critic

December 5, 2022 — Quote — Leave a comment

“On the Run is a sharply executed and evocative set of Americana rock filled with superbly arranged songs about the struggle to find connections, a sense of home, and a center in a ghost town of a world. Carrie Shepard is a smart songwriter with a keen eye for emotional details and hints of melancholy and yearning in her voice. Fine guitarist Lawrence Daversa punctuates and powers the songs with taut, lucid leads that serve the songs instead of overwhelming them. With a solid rhythm section anchoring things, The Whiskey Charmers have delivered a confident, cohesive record that should place them on the map of Americana rock and bring new listeners to the fold.” – Ken Capobianco, Boston Globe freelancer and veteran music critic.

Floorshime Zipper Boots!

October 12, 2017 — Leave a comment

Many thanks to Flooshime Zipper Boots for the great mini-review of our new album!

“The Valley is the sophomore album from Detroit band The Whiskey Charmers. The eleven tracks flawlessly blend blues rock, alt-country and folk rock into a masterful album that is sultry, swinging, heavy when it should be and intimate at all times. This is a band unafraid to show their grasp of somewhat arcane styles, by dragging them into a modern interpretation that works from start to finish. Highlighted by strong vocals and musicianship, this album is a must have. Stream and buy The Valley at the following link.” – Floorshime Zipper Boots – 10/5/2017

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Album Review by Frank Gutch Jr – No Depression

August 25, 2017 — Leave a comment

Many thanks to Frank Gutch Jr. for the great review of our new album “The Valley” in the music journal No Depression. Excerpt below. You can read the full review here.

“You know, writing reviews can sometimes be a chore, the occasional five-song EP hard to get through, but The Valley left me wanting more. In fact, the ender (“Warnings”) has me stopped in my tracks. It is reminiscent of a song I have heard many times and holds a very special place in my heart but I’ll be damned if I can remember who did it. What I do remember is that it had a major impact on me when I heard it and that I played the hell out of it for a long time. No worries. It will come to me and “Warnings” will suffice for now, but, damn, I wish I could remember. If only to compare what I consider excellent tunes.” – Frank Gutch Jr, No Depression – August 24, 2017

Album Review – The New York Daily

August 21, 2017 — Leave a comment

Many thanks to The New York Daily for the great review of our new album! Excerpts below. You can read the full review here.

“…Dark country band the Whiskey Charmers made a big splash with their 2015 debut album. Their new one, The Valley – streaming at Bandcamp – takes their Lynchian twang and shuffle and raises the energy: this is much more of a blue-flame electric rock record…. “Been looking for you lately on my lawn…been looking for you in the back of my car,” Shepard muses in the swaying, melancholy Red Wine. The album’s most epic track is Coal, a majestically gloomy, metaphorically bristling anthem that could be the Dream Syndicate at their countriest, capped off by a searing, careening Daversa solo. The album winds up with Warnings, an Americana-pop song in Halloween disguise. You have been warned: this band is going places. Catch them now before it costs you big bucks at a venue like Bowery Ballroom.” – The New York Music Daily, August 18, 2017

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American Roots UK Review

August 16, 2017 — Leave a comment

Many thanks to Mike Morrison for the great review of our new album “The Valley”! Check out an excerpt from the review below. You can read the full article here.

This is their second album and to my ears, whilst their debut was excellent, this recording leaves it a little in the shade, having pretty much defined their style on this album that has the subtlety of artists such as the Cowboy Junkies but with greater depth, textures and variety. The band consists of Carrie Shepard, who handles all lead vocals and acoustic guitar and Lawrence Daversa who plays electric and acoustic guitars, steel guitar and harmony vocals and shows incredible restraint in his inventive guitar playing, knowing that less notes often equate to more in creating an atmosphere of great depth and quality….Just two albums in to their recording career and I genuinely list the Whiskey Charmers as one of my favourite 21st century bands. – Mike Morrison, American Roots UK 8.15.17

Twangri-La Review

April 16, 2017 — Leave a comment

Many thanks to Twangri La for this great review of our new album!

“The Valley is a keeper for sure. I know, there have been a lot of keepers this year. Don’t blame me because this has been a banner year for Americana and roots music so far. We are the beneficiaries of all this talent. Put The Whiskey Charmers on the list.” – Twangri-La 4/14/17

Three Chords and The Truth UK Review

April 16, 2017 — Leave a comment

Many thanks to Three Chords and The Truth UK for the great review of our new album!

“For a touch of expansive escapism there is no finer place to transport your mind than in the world of The Whiskey Charmers. In a dreamy haze of romanticised roaming THE VALLEY leads you on a mystical journey that frees suburbanites from any remnants of mundane reality. This is the duo’s brand new album and is a highly anticipated follow up to their self-titled debut release in 2015. The Whiskey Charmers have a core line up of Carrie Shepard and Lawrence Daversa, hail from Detroit Michigan and are the key architects of a record successful in luring any mind wandering admirer of Americana music.”

– Three Chords and The Truth UK – April 12th, 2017