Shade of the Trees

Album Description

"Let us cross over the river and rest in the shade of the trees." These are the final words of General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson as he led his men into battle. This declaration inspired the breathtaking song "Better Angels" on Storyhill's powerful album Shade of the Trees (Red House Records). With just their guitars and alluring harmonies, Storyhill (Chris Cunningham and John Hermanson) puts forth a haunting and spare acoustic record of old-fashioned story songs about love, war and the many sorrows that accompany them.

Following up on their self-titled album, Storyhill `s Shade of the Trees is a stripped-down collection of songs that proves why Storyhill is one of the most important acoustic duos in folk music. Once again enlisting the Grammy-winning producer/songwriter Dan Wilson (Dixie Chicks, Semisonic), Storyhill recorded mostly live in the studio to capture the pure magic of their performance that thousands of fans across the country have grown to love. Breathtaking songs like opener, "Avalon," "Getaway" and "Better Angels" float through haunting harmonies while Storyhill's one-of-a-kind pop melodies shine through on songs like "Caught in a Mess," "A Town Talks" and the stunning finale "Pieces of Love."

Resonating with themes of finding hope in the face of darkness, these are songs that live in your head. Shade of the Trees captures Storyhill on at a pinnacle of their songwriting and is the kind of album that will wedge its way among some of the most significant folk albums.