The Anthology of American Folk Music, produced by Harry Smith and released in 1952, is a stunningly comprehensive document that compiled folk, country, and blues tracks recorded between 1926 and 1933. Including Mississippi John Hurt, Hoyt Ming and His Pep Steppers, The Carter Family, and Reverend Sister Nelson, among many others, the collection has informed and inspired generations of artists working in a multitude of genres.
The list of celebrants would include, no doubt, Kira Annalise and Willie Heath Neal, a.k.a. The Waymores. Since their 2011 debut, the husband-and-wife duo have tastefully mined longstanding folk and country templates. With their latest LP, The Knot, they again exhibit their vintage sensibilities, reveling in drawly vocals and raw-edged harmonies. The Knot is, however, more boldly instrumented than previous work. The result is a sequence that reaffirms The Waymores’ traditional Mo. while both nuancing and ramping up their rootsy sound.
