My first listen to the latest release from Sons Of Fathers, Burning Days, and I was tempted to just label it sophomore slump and be done with it. Â I so liked their first release, though, that I had to go back and listen again and I realized it was my pre-conceived notions at fault and not the quality of the new music. Â Their self-titled debut was almost singularly focused on showcasing the harmonies of singer/songwriters David Beck and Paul Cauthen. Â And it was spectacular in how well it did so, no doubt also a credit to producer-god Lloyd Maines.
Burning Days is more wide-ranging and shows the breadth of talent of not just Beck and Cauthen, but also their band. Â One of the things that shows up more is a kind of indie rock bent. Â Only God Can Take A Woman isn’t just indie, but has some hints of psychedelia to it. Â A Keep Austin Weird influence I suppose. Â The title track has some pop syncopation to it. Â Feel the Fall, my favorite tune of the album, starts with the familiar moment of hum when a guitar is plugged into an amp and then proceeds down a fine lo-fi path. Â It also has my favorite line of the disc, “does a heart make a sound if it breaks when no one is around?”
Fans of the first album shouldn’t despair too much, though. Â The group didn’t entirely abandon their Americana harmonies. Â To Whom is full of them, with a touch of the Everly Brothers thrown in. Â Almost There starts in that vein, too, but then goes for a little more guitar show-of-force. Â Selfish Mind combines the acoustic guitar and banjo with some pedal steel like what so rounded out their debut sound. Â Not too far afield, the opening number, Hurt Someone, and the closer, The Mansion, both have a bit of Mumford-ish in them that frankly suits this band pretty well, too.
 If you’re new to Sons Of Fathers you’ll enjoy the harmonies and catchy lyrics of Burning Days.  If you were a big fan of the debut, give this one a second listen because the expansion of their sound points to bigger and better things as the band’s recognition grows.
About the author: I've actually driven from Tehatchapee to Tonopah. And I've seen Dallas from a DC-9 at night.