The Civil Wars

Barton Hollow Sony/Columbia****

These recent Grammy winners (for best folk album and country duo/group performance) have kind of sneaked up on us. First they supported Adele on herUS tour last year; then they came over to Ireland as total unknowns. You can check out what all the Grammy fuss is about when The Civil Wars arrive in Dublin on March 14th. In the meantime, we'd advise you to check out Barton Hollow, which starts off country-ish, only to blindside you with a move into territory that's more California than Nashville. Partners in and out of music, Joy Williams and John Paul White certainly have the geographical push and pull that blends the former's love of The Beach Boys with the latter's roots/retro flavourings of Johnny Cash and Townes Van Zandt. The mix might be obvious, but the result is classy and often swoonsome. thecivilwars.com

Download tracks: To Whom It May Concern, Poison & Wine, Birds of a Feather