Originally conceived
as a country recording outlet for Rhume's Jon Bartlett, Greenfield
Main took on a life of its own shortly after the release of 2000's
Hunting Tips for Everyone. A band formed to play out the
CD's songs, and has evolved to include John Higney (Two Minute
Miracles, Adam West), Rolf Klausener (The Acorn, Recoilers) and
Jon Lomow (Recoilers). Hunting Tips for Everyone was chosen
by Exclaim! magazine as the #9 record of 2001 in the category
of Country/Folk/Blues, cementing the band's reputation as a new
northern country-rock force to be reckoned with.
October 2004 saw the release of Barnburners & Heartchurners,
a somewhat darker and punchier entrée steeped in country, blues
and rock tradition. It's an oft-sordid affair that is able to
switch gears from trucker filth ("Matilda", "Wait on Me") to porch
folk ("Formaldehyde", "Have Mercy") with lots of stops in between,
loaded with memories of Bartlett's New Brunswick years, lost loved
ones, and the Lord. It has also been received with accolades;
Exclaim! picked it as the #7 Country/Folk/Blues record of 2004
and was the most played record on CKCU
during the year.
Taking cues from Lee Hazlewood, Gram Parsons (particularly his
work with the International Submarine Band), the Louvin Brothers
and new traditionalists such as Gillian Welch, Greenfield Main
have graduated from their comedic beginnings and have proven that
their country roots are well-intended and not a novelty act. Live,
the band now makes two distinctive sounds, playing equal parts
oldtime truckin' redneck country, and autumnal porch Appalachia
drenched in harmonies.
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