Boy Named Banjo’s EP ‘Circles’ Is One Of The Best Country Releases Of 2021
Samantha Colleran, November 2021
Over the summer, country band Boy Named Banjo released their first EP titled Circles. Throughout the seven tracks you’ll hear a lot of different musical influences that go deeper than a typical country sound, making this a unique and enjoyable listening experience. The band consists of guitarist William Reames, banjo player Barton Davies, mandolin player William Logan, drummer Sam McCullogh, and bassist Ford Garrard. You’ll fall quickly in love with their chemistry as a band and the music they make.
Combining elements of country, alt-rock, bluegrass, and folk, Boy Named Banjo will immediately catch your attention. With the pandemic giving the band more time at home, Boy Named Banjo were really able to perfect each track and present the world with a well crafted EP years in the making. Our opening track “Only You Know” feels as though it could be a Mumford & Sons track, with its faster paced chorus and impeccable banjo playing in the background. Title track “Circles” has a similar feel, it has one of those beats that makes you want to jump around and scream the lyrics, “I circle, circle back around/ Am I ever gonna get out?”
You can feel the emotion on the second track on the EP, “Feel For You”. The vocals really shine through in the chorus, “There’s nothing I can say/ Nothing I can do/ To make you feel the way/ The way I feel for you”. Things slow down a little with “Too Close,” it’s steady drumbeat guiding the song and making it a relaxed, easy listen. “Where The Night Goes” is another drum-driven track, with the banjo and mandolin getting their moments to shine closer to the end of the track. It’s one of the most interesting tracks musically, and definitely one of my most recommended tracks!
Our final two tracks are possibly the strongest lyrically. “Keep Lying To Me” has a bit of a darker undertone. We open with the lyrics “Everytime that you don’t answer/ Makes me wonder where you are/ It’s like I’m chasing down a mirage/ You lead me on and then you’re gone”, and from then on you’re hooked into the story. “Go Out Dancing” rounds out the EP perfectly. It’s a bit softer than the songs prior, but it’s just as beautiful. It leaves you wanting more from the band, and shows a sweeter side of the band’s songwriting abilities.
Be sure to follow the band on Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date on their future releases, and don’t forget to stream Circles on your preferred streaming service! Let me know what you think of Boy Named Banjo in the comments!
Looking forward to giving it a listen!