The Tillers Take You Back with “Hand On The Plow” (Album Stream)
Leave behind the world of nagging priority that is screaming at your for attention through various flashing doo dads streaming threads of bad news and worse entertainment choices, and go back to a time when people played songs on their back porches from the simple love of the music, and the only way to evoke entertainment was to breed fellowship with friends and family and sing and play along. This is the warm and relaxing, yet still energetic and engaging reality that The Tillers conjure up when they strike wires on wood and bring their love for the way things were to the modern ear yearning for a time when less was more.
This trio from Cincinnati pulls their influence from just beyond the southern shore of the Ohio River where the Kentucky Hills brim with music lore, while the Appalachian Mountain looming just to the east lend their ghost stories of coal and cutting poverty to their muse. It all comes together along with many other primitive American influences to create The Tillers sound that is both welcoming in its familiarity yet fresh with its take.
The Tiller’s latest album and 5th overall entitled Hand On The Plow is the inaugural issuance of original, full-length from the newly-formed Muddy Roots Records, and features 11 tantalizing tracks and an appearance by Legendary Shack Shaker and Dirt Dauber Col. JD Wilkes on harmonica. And lookie here, you can listen to the whole dern thing below. So put down your iPhones and log out of Facebook, and let’s get real for a while.
July 19, 2013 @ 8:50 am
FYI: Stream doesn’t resolve on FF v22 browser
July 19, 2013 @ 9:24 am
I’m getting it just fine with Firefox, but we’ll look into it. Anyone else having this problem?
July 19, 2013 @ 9:29 am
Very nice. Love the album cover artwork as well.
July 19, 2013 @ 1:32 pm
Props to Keith Neltner.
July 19, 2013 @ 9:43 am
Works fine on Chrome. Appalachians are east of Cinnci, by the way.
July 19, 2013 @ 12:53 pm
Head due south from Cincy. You won’t get to Florida without crossing over the Appalachians.
July 19, 2013 @ 9:55 pm
That may be, but only because the range makes a broad arc to the southwest far to the south of Ohio. Given the choice of east or west to the Appalachians from Cincinnati, I think the answer is obvious.
July 20, 2013 @ 6:29 am
Given the migration of people from eastern Kentucky to SW Ohio in the 60s and 70s to work for the auto industry and other jobs (there is still a large population in the area and a lot of good bluegrass music, though the jobs have gone) south isn’t really off base in terms of how the music traveled. Sure there are mountains due east as well, but people from WV tended to go up to Cleveland.
July 19, 2013 @ 11:51 am
This is great. I’m not sure how I haven’t heard anything from these guys yet. I actually listened to the stream twice in a row so I guess I should probably just buy the album now.
July 19, 2013 @ 1:50 pm
Thanks for the kind words! The Tillers were the absolute best choice for our first full length release. Incredible roots music from punk influenced folks like us. They work hard and take their music serious. It shows in their performances.
Cheers to a new road wandered.
Welcome home Tillers band.
July 23, 2013 @ 9:31 am
Can’t wait to see em at Muddy Roots this year!!!!
July 19, 2013 @ 6:42 pm
I am liking this a LOT.
July 19, 2013 @ 6:58 pm
I met these guys at a bar in Richmond Ky and they were really cool. Blew me away to see them on here! They did a helluva version of Freeborn Man after my relentless druken urging too! Help ’em out Trigger they need to be heard.
July 19, 2013 @ 9:19 pm
Pretty sweet sounding! Good job Tillers and Muddy Roots Records.
July 20, 2013 @ 12:25 am
Played our very first show in Richmond, some 7 years ago.
July 20, 2013 @ 6:33 am
Glad to see these guys on the Muddy Roots label – they are a great band.
July 20, 2013 @ 9:37 am
I’d never heard these guys before, so thanks for posting the stream (works fine on my Safari browser). 🙂 Some excellent picking and singing, and great tunes!
July 21, 2013 @ 6:09 am
Perfect soundtrack for a hot sunday afternoon. Somehow you know that this kind of music will be around forever. Just plain acoustic, no electricity needed yet bringing you almost electric harmonies, by musicians really playing together. And then the Colonel JD Wilkes cuts through your soul with a razor-sharp harmonica. Never heard of them before, but right now they are making me very happy. Hope someone will bring them to Europe.
July 23, 2013 @ 7:23 pm
We will be in Europe in November. Keep an eye on our website.
July 22, 2013 @ 10:48 pm
I have the privelege of knowing these guys and listening to their music since they began the tillers. As awesome as they have always been, I am blown away again with this new album. Mike,Sean and Arron always bring thier music at its best. Thanks for sharing this entire album online. I just ordered my copy! Love it!
July 24, 2013 @ 4:22 pm
I’ve been listening to the Tillers for quite a few years now. They are the best band to ever come out of Cincinnati OH. Not just because of their songwriting skills, but because of their dedication to authenticity. A great bunch of guys who deserve to be recognized for their talent. They put on a live show like nobody!! Check them out and support them any way you can, but especially financially. Buy their stuff!!They are full time musicians dedicated to their music and their families!
July 24, 2013 @ 6:04 pm
Great album!
A few months ago, you helped me decide (once and for all) that CDs, in terms of sound quality, is better than shopping for digital downloads. In terms of point of sale, what do you think is the most supportive way of buying music from artists? I love to buy CDs at shows and performances, but for bands like The Tillers and The Carper Family who don’t tour in my neck of the woods, do you think there is any point in special ordering at record stores? Or is it better to shop directly from their website? (I’ve noticed that not all artists distribute through record stores: I was able to special order Holly Williams and Caitlin Rose recently, but didn’t have any luck with The Carper Family or Ruby Jane.) Do you happen to know how much of the profit goes to a local record store, and how much goes to the artist?
I hope this doesn’t come off as imposing, but I would love to read an article on your opinion/analysis of the best way to consume/buy music in terms of shopping for albums — there are too many outlets! Do you have any personal rules for/against purchasing and collecting?
July 25, 2013 @ 8:17 am
There’s some articles written by others out there that delve into this subject. One of the problems is the landscape is changing so quickly, what may be the best way now might not be the best way in 6 months. Obviously, the more directly you can buy from artists is the best, directly from them at a show or from their website, but sometimes depending if they have a record deal, this is no different from buying from a retail store.
I don’t fault any consumer from also taking advantage of convenience. It is the job of artists and labels to make purchasing their music as easy as possible. Conscious consumers should try to make sure their dollars go to the artists, but sometimes downloading an album right before a road trip because you need so new music is an acceptable practice.
Maybe I’ll try to write up an article about this soon.