The Corduroy Road: Two Step Silhouette

It’s difficult to stake a name for yourself playing in a genre as over-populated as Americana’s become. When you don’t offer a unique twist to the time-honored formula, it’s almost as if you’re relegated to a niche market, yet, even that’s filled to the breaking point with bands. To stand out, you either need truly great songs or a decade plus of paying dues for reputation. Fortunately, the Corduroy Road are incredibly gifted songwriters who are undoubtedly capable of writing a classic front porch tune or two. While they haven’t yet, it’s not for lack of trying as evidenced by Two Step Silhouette, which is an exceptionally strong record given its limitations. It occasionally derails itself ever-so-slightly (“Elzics Farewell”) but it always recovers strongly. If they capitalize on their potential, they could be the face of the genre.