(Ramseur)

www.ramseurrecords.com

So what do banjos, dobros, trumpets, alto horn and a singing saw have in common? One wouldn't think very much were it not for Frontier Ruckus, a citified quintet of rustic folkies whose name belies their mournful melodies. Though they hail from Detroit, their songs evoke the loneliness and isolation of a dust-blown prairie. It's a feeling owed in large measure to vocalist Matthew Milia, a star in the making whose voice sounds like a forlorn fusion of Connor Oberst and ex Jayhawk/Creekdipper Mark Olson, with the wistful remorse of former label mates the Avett Brothers tossed in for good measure.

Yet, despite the strange disparity of their musical make-up, this sophomore set holds indisputable charms. Remarkably, the arrangements remain both cohesive and compelling, the swelling horns reinforcing the flush of the more traditional instrumentation. Songs like "The Tower," "How Could I Abandon?" and "Ringbearer" ring with a palatable despair that underscores their homespun humility. However this is no downer. Even in the face of that pervasive yearning, Deadmalls & Nightfalls boasts an unassuming, unfettered appeal that grows more affecting with each successive hearing.

DOWNLOAD: "Ringbearer," ""The Tower," "How Could I Abandon?"  LEE ZIMMERMAN