Campfires and Constellations

Thundering from the hills of North Carolina is Campfires and Constellations, a 5-piece acoustic-electric band with an Americana sound that blends folk, country, bluegrass and Southern rock - or simply "boot-stompin', hell-raisin' Outlaw music."Their debut album, Carolina Homegrown, consists of eleven tracks that range from mellow fingerpicking to blistering bass riffs.The album begins with a country-night soundscape: twangy, pedal steel meets a peaceful, sometimes haunting, acoustic melody, complete with the lull of cricket songs and howling coyotes.Tracks like "Roll Along" and "Fast Burn to Tabor City" display a more commanding sound with the drummer's driving, aggressive, punk rock force; banjo and guitar strings are strummed so fast you'd think these country boys might set fire to their fret boards.They soften up a tad in "Hazelnut Eyes" and "Movin," and bring us right back to their distinctive country rock sound in the album's final two songs.Both the words and music in "Outlaw's Dream" showcase C&C's raw talent and reservoir of potential, as a lilting banjo lead carries listeners through optimistic, fun lyrics.And finally there's the heavy trudge of "Black Muddy River": guitar riffs and crashing cymbals lean towards heavy metal in this gritty, menacing tune that will rumble down your bones.These young, hungry musicians have an electrifying sound that is a true rarity in today's music; Carolina Homegrown is a formidable debut that'll make you want to dance, drink and fight as you stomp your hangdog blues away.