press release for latest record, letters
Release Date: 3/4/21
Abby Hollander Band’s second album, Letters, showcases a collaborative, vocals-driven approach to bluegrass. Since releasing their self-titled debut in 2015, the New York City-based band has seen some notable changes. Original members Abby Hollander and Ellery Marshall welcomed mandolinist Jacob Tilove (Lonesome Trio) and guitarist Jason Borisoff (Cricket Tell the Weather, Brooklyn Bluegrass Collective) into the fold. Fiddle wiz and Berklee alum Julian Pinelli was bussed in from Boston to fill out the core group in the studio.
Songwriting roles have also been expanded. Letters features original material from Hollander, Tilove, and Borisoff, as well as a Hollander-Borisoff co-write. Marshall’s straight-ahead banjo playing and bluegrass sensibilities allow the group to maintain a firm footing in the tradition while exploring unique, song-driven arrangement ideas.
The 10-track album runs the gamut from the straight-ahead bluegrass productions of “Back When We Could Have Been in Love” and “This Life”, to the old-school country vibes of “Too Down to Get Drunk” and “Turn to Go”, to the unique, spirited departures of “Appalachia Apologia”, “Eyes of Loss”, and “Letters to Burn”.
Covers include a follow up composition from Abby’s brother Jonah Bruno, “Mary Ann,” as well as two beloved songs from New York folk revival luminary John Herald. Letters aims to create a unique addition to New York’s rich bluegrass canon while opening new possibilities for the group’s sound.
Reviews for Abby Hollander Band
"This one's a keeper. Keep an eye on the Abby Hollander Band."
- John Lawless, Bluegrass Today
"...a supple singing voice..." including, 'jazz inflected meditiations', 'straight up bluegrass thumpers', and 'plaintive, love-troubled songs'
- Jeff Clapp, Hudson Valley Bluegrass Association