Aaron Austin and the Bootleg Preachers
Richmond, Kentucky, United States | SELF
Music
Press
You will listen intently to A Glorious Mess or you will turn it off entirely. There's just no acceptable in between. The music is so melodic, well-played and engaging and the lyrics so poetic (in the visionary sense of the word) that the album will not serve as something you half-listen to while you're doing something else. It demands much, but it rewards greatly. The songs are gems of observation, and the vocals converse rather than proclaim. Aaron Austin and the Bootleg Preachers emerge here as mature, sure-footed artists with something to say that's said well. Glorious, certainly, but a mess? No way.
--Edward Morris, Senior Writer, CMT.com - unpublished
You will listen intently to A Glorious Mess or you will turn it off entirely. There's just no acceptable in between. The music is so melodic, well-played and engaging and the lyrics so poetic (in the visionary sense of the word) that the album will not serve as something you half-listen to while you're doing something else. It demands much, but it rewards greatly. The songs are gems of observation, and the vocals converse rather than proclaim. Aaron Austin and the Bootleg Preachers emerge here as mature, sure-footed artists with something to say that's said well. Glorious, certainly, but a mess? No way.
--Edward Morris, Senior Writer, CMT.com - unpublished
Discography
A Glorious Mess - 2010
Photos
Bio
Aaron Austin and his counterintuitive compatriots, the Bootleg Preachers have a penchant for paradox and an abiding confidence in mystery. They stir up rootsy Americana tunes with a touch of twang and truckload of contemplation. If it weren’t for legal stipulations, they might be called Shawn Mullins and the Barenaked Vigilantes of Love.
A self-proclaimed late-bloomer, Aaron has spent decades learning to weave the threads of beauty and sorrow into text and tunes. It takes time for these things to steep, and the Preachers are a seasoned crew who bring joyous fervor to each note.
Though A Glorious Mess is Aaron and the Preachers’ first release, the lengthy distillation of their verse and sound belies this recent debut. Hope and candor have mingled to produce a thoughtful brew unafraid to question established moorings and brave enough to believe.
The Bootleg Preachers appear in a variety of permutations, from small acoustic duos to an alt-country band with a full rhythm section and a small choir. The Preachers’ repertoire is just as varied, with minimalist folk songs, bluesy meanderings, and some good ol’ rock and roll. They’re ready to bring their glorious mess anywhere there are ears to listen.
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