Matthews rocks two thumbs to the Austin quintet as bandleaders Philip Lupton and Truett Heintzelman grin, gripping their saxophone and guitar before a howling crowd of thousands.
When Texans Lupton and Heintzelman met as two redhead teens at a Christian summer camp, they didn't know a decadelong journey to traction gaining Americana-rock band Briscoe sprawled ahead. After duetting"Paradise" by John Prine at the camp talent show, the new friends ignited a spark. As summer ended the boys kept in touch, bonding over shared tastes from Simon & Garfunkel to modern country/bluegrass purveyors like the Avett Brothers.
. The album marked Briscoe's evolution from their self-titled debut EP, which splashed soul, jazz, and saxophone over a folk base, to their present-day Americana-rock roots sound, sprinkled with pop.EP, tracked across two studios and polished by 2021, reminds him of a younger self. " Lupton and Heintzelman's shared vocals ponder as banjos and tambourines cheerfully echo the query. Boogie basslines wiggle through road trip jam"High on You" as cold howls harmonize acoustic-fist-pump"Coyotes."
If the brassy character hides on the album, it materializes on stage as a magic wand, casting an authentic spell. Vibrating the Hill Country venue Buck's Backyard last November, Briscoe impressed a nodding crowd with sonic richness and nimble finger work. However, it wasn't until Lupton pulled out his golden sax that the band's true personality finally unfurled.