As the number of old-school bars dwindles, UK Americana duo Sun-Pinned Leaves, known for their penchant for honky-tonk, roots-deep grooves, penned the ultimate ode to the formative dens of hedonically raucous pleasure with Last Bar in Town. Christopher Brown and Neil Faulkner have carried their creative partnership from schooldays in 1975 through a 2018 reunion and eight albums, and that long musical kinship is as electric as ever
Raising a proverbial glass to the venues of some of life’s sweetest and liquor-soaked memories, the upbeat, foot-stomp-worthy Americana earworm puts the emphasis on the sweet in the bittersweet allegory of cultural epicentres becoming revered relics of a bygone era. The guitars feel sun-warmed and barroom-ready, the vocal delivery has that easy companionable pull, and the rhythm moves with the looseness of a room where everyone knows the chorus as well as the toll of the last orders bell.
The band’s roots sit comfortably near the story-led Americana of The Mavericks, the pub-floor warmth of Nick Lowe and the country-folk lift associated with Steve Earle. Their recent ISSA Gold Awards for International Vocal Duo of the Year and International Male Songwriters of the Year add weight to a release that was undoubtedly Americana chart-ready as soon as it was penned.
As the first single from their ninth album, Lost in America, Last Bar in Town sets an infectious standard; it’s enough to make you grab your coat and order your usual while you still can.
Last Bar in Town is now available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify.
Review by Amelia Vandergast
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