Bobtown on Traditions and Folk Music Notebook 9-15-19

This NYC-based quartet has been a band for more than ten years, and never has their growth been more apparent than in their fourth studio album "Chasing the Sun." Since Bobtown's first, eponymous release in 2010, an obvious transformation has occurred in their instrumentation, but a more subtle musical journey is reflected in their stories. The folksy narratives that dominated much of their earlier work are still present, but those tales now accompany contemporary, personal compositions on self-empowerment, overcoming internal conflict and the universal threads of love and loss. Throughout Bobtown’s evolution, there has remained a cohesive thread that ties all of their work together: a strong affinity for innovative vocal arrangements and lush harmonies. In sum, this album is a broad collection of songs demonstrating the range and experiences of four authors who are navigating a course through life, and who've managed to stick together through the ups and downs of being a folk band in a sometimes cold and aloof digital era.