Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners, an indie folk/rock band, recently released their fourth album titled “Colorado’s On Fire Again.” Known for hits such as “Evergreen” and “Lake Missoula,” the Seatle-based band picked up steam and grew rapidly in popularity within just the past few years. The new album is 42 minutes long and consists of 14 tracks, creating an album that is a very easy listen.
A strong suit throughout the album is the overall sound and the production quality. Each song seems to fit together, but also sounds very much like a song the band would make. They have found a style and have learned how to do it rather well. The quality of the audio and the mixing is also very good and helps the listener catch on to some of the background vocals and instruments that really help create an atmosphere around the music.
The album opens with “Berry Herman,” a melancholic song that starts with soft vocals and smooth instrumentation. This song sets the tone for the rest of the album, as much of it is very chill and often borders on sounding sad, however the intention of the album may not be to be sad but is rather a reflection on the band itself.
“Berry Herman” seems to be about growing up and seeing things fall and burn away but having to move on. Like many other songs by Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners, the imagery of nature and the outdoors is a huge part of their songs. About two-thirds through the song, however, there is a shift in the track, there seems to be an energy put into it, and even though the vocals still say relatively the same, it shows hope for new growth. Not to mention that the music video for this song is interesting and adds a vibe to the song that is worth checking out.
The third track, “Santiago,” is one of the more popular songs on the album and it makes sense why. Opening with a stellar acoustic guitar solo that sets a tone for the rest of the song, listeners are instantly drawn to this song upon the first hearing. Hearing the banjo, reminiscent of most indie folk, in the background was also a very nice touch. Getting up and going, being in nature and saying bye to people for a while, that is what this track is all about. There is a powerful story told in such a short song, of the singer thinking they need to leave and leave everyone but realizing that home is always there and that there are people who want to support them. Overall, this track is one of if not the strongest songs on the album. It conveys a story, it has a great feel, the instruments are good and it is almost just right when it comes to length.
In the middle of the album track number six is titled “Precursor.” This is an interesting track as it is just instrumentals with some background voices heard towards the end of the 40-second-long song. More and more artists have been including tracks like these on their albums. It is just a short showing of their talent, and it also helps create a tone for whatever is to follow. In this case, it sets up the following track, “Xrunk,” up very well. The track starts with melodic vocals that let you know that this is not a happy song. The song revolves around a drunk man being driven back home by someone who he cares for deeply. He wants to sober up for the person but does not know how to or does not know how to ask for help.
The album ends very strong with “October Moon” which much like the rest of the album is a strong showing for the band. Much like some of the other tracks, this one talks about being stuck, and being alone, but how even if at one point the singer thought that’s what they wanted, we all long to be with people in some way.
Overall, Richy Mitch & the Coal Miners have had one of the strongest showings seen this year. The album is wonderfully-crafted and worth giving a listen. If you are someone who is just starting out with the genre or someone who has been around for a while, this album is well worth listening to.
