Based out of North Carolina, The Burnett Sisters Band’s first release for Pinecastle Records, “Sorrow Grief and Pain” will garner the three siblings a great deal of well-deserved attention. The song, written by band member and multi-instrumentalist Geary Allen, has a deep bluegrass influence throughout the track. Strong echoes of folk song tradition are present as well. It reflects the multi-dimensional musical approach that The Burnett Sisters Band adopts for their art and should serve them in good stead over the years to come.
Many genre elements make an appearance. “Sorrow Grief and Pain” is full of the customary stellar vocal harmonies, skilled instrumental interplay, and seemingly effortless chemistry we associate with the best of this style. However, it is strongly individual. One of the chief hallmarks of its unique identity comes from Allen’s use of language. The lyrics for “Sorrow Grief and Pain” boast a touch all their own rather than recalling the work of another. His ability to utilize familiar imagery and turns of phrase in a personal fashion helps further distinguish this single.
Sibling interplay naturally plays an important role. Anissa Burnett’s harmony vocals, Anneli Burnett’s lead vocals and mandolin, and sister Sophia’s contributions on bass fall into a musical dialogue they have probably shared and developed through their relatively brief lives. Guitar is one of the strongest musical elements present in this performance. Allen wears several instrumental hats to bring “Sorrow Grief and Pain” to life. It is his work with the six-string that likely stands out for the target audience.
The track’s furious tempo never sacrifices his dramatic potential. “Sorrow Grief and Pain” sounds like it is taking place on the widest possible stage or screen, every emotion writ large, and accomplishes this without ever sounding overbearing. One gets the definite sense of The Burnett Sisters Band functioning as a genuine musical unit rather than a glorified solo act.
Physical and straightforward production is icing on an already delectable cake. The Burnett Sisters Band doesn’t have a wide spectrum of sound to cover with the song’s limited instrumentation. It behooves them to eschew any post-production gimmicky, and the band wisely complies. It provides a fully satisfying listening experience in less than four minutes, and the sustained assault, always artful, of the song’s headlong trajectory makes it seem like half that time. “Sorrow Grief and Pain” doesn’t pull its punches.
It surges with such vitality that it never drags you down. The lyrics are inward-looking, and melancholy, but the vocal presentation fills them with flesh-and-blood immediacy. They sound far from defeated. Endurance is a time-honored theme in Americana music, blues, bluegrass, and folk, and “Sorrow Grief and Pain” carries on in that tradition without ever saying so outright.
It’s the first of many such gems that are sure to come from The Burnett Sisters Band. They’ve kicked off their association with Pinecastle Records in an outstanding fashion that will inspire many to keep coming back for more. “Sorrow Grief and Pain” gets under your skin fast.
Claire Uebelacker