“Chasing Trains” is the first track on Dana and Lauren’s latest release, a 4-track EP that touches upon a number of distinct and unique styles, sounds, and approaches. This track will immediately touch listeners for a variety of reasons, key of which has to be the utterly compelling vocal harmonies present. Couple these harmonies with a bluegrass-heavy set of arrangements, and what results is the duo’s first single-worthy track. Where bluegrass music only gains crossover appeal every decade or so, Dana and Lauren are looking to break it big.
This means that “Chasing Trains” will be amenable to fans of pop, country, and even rock music. Looking to catch lightning twice, Dana and Lauren move on to a quite challenging cover in their version of Tupac and Dr. Dre’s classic “California Love”. Any version of this track needs the musicians to step boldly forth with their own allure while still keeping some of the nuances that made the original such a standard. That is precisely what these two do, linking the instrumentation resent here with “Chasing Trains” even as the vocals take on a Tupac meets Dixie Chicks mash-up. While this cover will undoubtedly be what fans will clamor for at any live set these two play, I have to say that the best song on this disc has to be “Song to My Heart”.
In this track, Dana and Lauren take a slower, happier tack. This allows them to expand their repertoire, as listeners will pick up a classic pop vein as the track continues to roll. This EP ends with “Dreams are Fireflies”, a track that continues to point to Dana and Lauren’s scintillating skill set. Many acts struggle to come up with any voice on an EP, but I feel that this release gives listeners some semblance of what Dana and Lauren are about and what they should expect from future releases. While rooted in a bluegrass sound, Dana and Lauren are talented enough to become germane to fans of all stripes. Give this EP a few spins if you would like to hear an invigorating and exciting take on this storied genre.
Top Tracks: Chasing Trains, Song to My Heart
Rating: 8.4/10
Dana and Lauren – S/T / 2011 Self / 4 Tracks / http://www.danaandlauren.com