Junior League Band: Mitchell Williams Fo’ Govena

Washington, DC outfit the Junior League Band effortlessly blends pop, rock, blues, and Depression-era country to create a unique, infectious, and classically American sound on their second full length album, Mitchell Williams Fo’ Govena. The songs range from bluesy “Folding Cash” (inspired by Leadbelly) to the Muscle Shoals sound of “South Carolina Blues” to the oldtimey “The Station”. Although Junior League does hop from style to style, the album never feels uneven or disjointed, thanks to frontwoman Lissy Rosemont’s smooth and soulful vocals and near-constant banjo. Fans of Old Crow Medicine Show and Gillian Welch will dig the band’s rootsy sound, while those who listen to Sufjan Stevens may find themselves drawn to the Junior League Band’s eccentricity and indie pop sensibilities. However, at barely over thirty minutes, Mitchell Williams Fo’ Govena is far too short, leaving the average listener, no matter their preferred musical genre, desperate for more.