The Civil Wars are pure vocal talent with the songs to back it up

The Civil Wars - Barton Hollow

     When your debut album nabs you two Grammy wins, you know you’re doing something right.  Such is the case for The Civil Wars’ Barton Hollow, a country yet classy tour-de-force.  Joy Williams and John Paul White have voices that on their own would make you stop and listen, but when blended together in soaring harmonies, will make your hairs stand on end.  Standout track “Poison and Wine” masterfully explores the despair, contempt, and even comfort of a love gone stale, while title track “Barton Hollow” is sure to please the pure country fans.  Listeners who don’t yet have a high twang tolerance should try out the back-to-back “C’est la Mort” and “To Whom It May Concern” to get their feet wet (though the album as a whole is far more folk than country).  As always, click the picture for clips!

Here’s the duo performing “Poison and Wine” on Letterman.  THIS is what a live performance is supposed to sound like.