Misner & Smith are 'featured artists' in the online magazine, The Alternate Root
Check out this review of our first album, Halfway Home in the online music magazine, The Alternate Root. We are featured as 'artists of the week'.
"Woody Guthrie has left America and Americans an astounding legacy. He spent his years giving hope to the hopeless and fanning the flames of social action with a voice, a belief and a guitar. On a personal level, what brought Woody joy was the music. Americana and Folk were in his heart and in his songs.
San Francisco Bay Area folk duo Sam Misner and Megan Smith share a lot with Woody and owe him thanks for a chance meeting. The two acted together in a production of Woody Guthrie’s ‘American Song’. While performing they realized that beyond sharing a stage, the pair also shared a love of the music that the marquee’s namesake brought to the world. Like Woody, Megan and Sam are travelers, with guitars and voices. They are festival and coffee house mainstays throughout the West and Southwest.
Their most recent effort, ‘Halfway Home’, showcases songwriting that pays homage to the folk tradition while adding their own fresh take on the genre. Sam and Megan’s lyrics are as clear and piercing as their harmonies. The chiming of guitars and voices is mesmerizing and infectious, like the laughter described in the title track as two characters enter into a budding romance. The rhythms continues on the songs that move feet and mind (“Fall Away”, “Henry and Lil”, “In Life With Love”) and slow the pace for a more quiet reflection (“Keep in Time”, “Shadow of Embraces”, “Madeline”). Driven by the tasty blend of voices, the music rides along atop bluegrass, folk and Americana sound waves. ‘Halfway Home’ is a powerful testament to tradition, story telling and doing what you love."
-By DANNY McCLOSKEY for THE ALTERNATE ROOT 3/22/10
http://www.thealternateroo