The Onlies have a rare gift for storytelling that is barely surpassed by their musical chops.
It wouldn’t do you any good for me to describe each song on Open Road, though that’s kind of what I want to do. Whether The Onlies are singing are about childhood nostalgia, relationships gone south, or small-town life, each song is a mini epic story. Every verse is delivered with a profound insight or two. Fawn Larson’s country-perfect voice is like caramel to Will Harrison’s gravelly chocolate. They’re both great on their own, but they’re sublime together.
Normally I’m not enough of a music nerd to comment on it, but it’s worth noting that the mixing on this album is perfectly. Gary Newman’s gentle standup bass is brought to the forefront, which serves to make the music warm and intimate. As a result, the album has a family feel, like a living room concert.