The Cactus Blossoms - Album Review & Visible Voice Session

***Newport Folk Festival Preview***

We met up with The Cactus Blossoms before their show with Pokey Lafarge at the Tractor Tavern for a session. With sea planes overhead and the smell of the sea air on a Seattle afternoon, you could not ask for more. I personally can't wait to see them at the Newport Folk Festival this summer!

One thing you'll notice when you listen to “You're Dreaming” by The Cactus Blossoms is that there isn't one second of wasted space. Songs are played out from beginning to end with a confident assurance that belies the ages of Jack and Page, the two Minneapolis-born brothers. With the songwriting sensibilities of Dolly Parton meets Bob Dylan, and pitch-perfect harmonizing that's reminiscent of brother duets like The Everly Brothers, The Cactus Blossoms are sure to be a household name in a small matter of time. “You're Dreaming” is their first big foray into the public sphere (touring aside), and it positions them well for future releases and a growing fan base.

“Stoplight Kisses” kicks off the album on a nostalgically upbeat note, and sounds like it could easily have fit into the catalog of Bob Dylan with a little Beach Boys influence. The lyrics are straightforward, but this song is about the vibe, and it makes me want to experience the place they create in this 2-minute track.

The title track, “You're Dreaming”, keeps the mood consistent, and the harmonizing between the two singers is excellent. The relaxed guitar and loose drums serve as the perfect bedrock for their voices, and the lyrics "I'm not sleeping, I'm not walking. And you can't hear my talking when your eyes are closed" help evoke the dreamlike atmosphere that permeates the beautifully concise 34-minute album.

The Cactus Blossoms - You're Dreaming

The instrumentation over the course of the 11 tracks is intentionally minimal - vintage guitars, upright bass, tight kit drums. It's a vehicle for the brothers' voices to glide effortlessly along from one song to the next. The album plays out as almost a full tale of love. From the upbeat beginning of the title track and “Clown Collector”, to the the darker territory of “Powder Blue” and “Change Your Ways Or Die”, and the catharsis of “No More Crying the Blues” and “Adios Maria”, the real star is the effortless vocal union between the two brothers.

The Cactus Blossoms - Clown Collector

By the time “Traveler's Paradise”, the album's final track, drops, the brothers sing, "Goodbye, sure is good to know you. I'm so thankful for you." It's the perfect close to a beautifully melancholic journey that floats along as easily as a summer breeze, and it's such a smooth listen that you'll be hard pressed not to press play again the moment it's over.

Words by Alexander Hallett

Video by Jorge Gonzalez

Video editing by Adam Richert