THE CIVIL WARS play the Phoenix Tuesday (November 1). See listing. Rating: NNN
If you watch Grey’s Anatomy, you may have heard the Civil Wars’ dramatic Poison & Wine in its entirety. It’s a strong duet capturing the conflict often inherent in a long relationship.
After meeting at a writing workshop in 2008, Christian pop survivor Joy Williams and lesser-known Alabaman John Paul White decided pretty quickly that they clicked musically. (They’re not actually a couple.) Their close vocal blend is their best asset, with a natural ebb and flow between their parts.
Their folk-pop songs are stripped down and quietly melodramatic, supported by acoustic guitar, piano and subtle contributions from unnamed Nashville pros. Sustained by romantic tension, they walk a strange line between being mesmerizing and washing over you like sonic wallpaper.
Top track: C’est La Mort
