Written by Matt Matthews
Jul 21, 2011
ImageI had seen The Folk Family Revival on occasion.  Most recently prior to their Unfolding cd release show at Dosey Doe in The Woodlands on July 9th, was at Heritage Place Amphitheater in Conroe back in early April.  Something extraordinary happened in that four month period.  Something flipped within “The Family”, as the band likes to refer to their collective body of fans, supporters and management team. On this particular Saturday evening, the room was full, the crowd charged and the band was transformed.

It seems they elevated their game.  The look was exactly what you would expect from a band named Folk Family Revival.  Suspendered britches, broadcloth shirts, and bowties and fedoras.  The sound however was more than I expected.  Rollicking tunes like Come Get Me followed by Addicted to the Road which had the peaceful, easy feeling of a well crafted Henley / Frey tune.  Mix in a good amount of free rolling Appalachian style strings with offerings like Mountains and add a dash of Dylan-esque hard truths and a smidgen of Neil Young cynicism, you may come close to duplicating Folk Family Revival’s unique approach to music.

One thing is for sure, when you purchase a ticket to see Mason Lankford, his brothers Barrett and Lincoln along with their longtime friend Caleb Pace, you will get much more than you expected.  The level of professionalism exhibited by these young men far exceeds their experience and highlights the talent the group possesses.  The live performance was well delivered with no moments lacking.  This is a new approach to music that still has reverence for real, roots driven sound.  Buy the record… see a show… join The Family.