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Title: "Ridin' With The One I Love" by The Mitguards
Music is easy to love at first, but as years pass, albums that once commanded worship get stale.
That's why an album such as this should be treasured. The Mitguards don't ferry their way to your heart on the back of a massive trend.
This music arrives well-worn, creeps under your skin and latches onto your youthful memories - blending in with the old Woody Guthrie tunes and Hank Williams classics that taught you to love music as a child.
The Mitguards' style is a bit different from those American icons, but like them, songwriter Chris Mitguard has mastered a very difficult task - he's created songs that feel classic.
The Mitguards have another secret weapon to their advantage. They love each other. The love songs on this disc feel particularly authentic, and the two musicians sound as if they're ribbing each other during the playful tunes, instead of putting on a show for our benefit.
There's a great range of emotion here. The stinging lyrics and uneasy tone of "One Little Lie" is intriguing, while the sad story of "Little Liza" sound like something The Grateful Dead would have covered.
Chris' voice blends a bit of Bob Dylan with the type of tough-guy tone I always expected the Marlboro Man to have. Deb's voice is spunky, and her few vocal leads suit her personality. All the tunes are set against a cozy backdrop of picked guitar and mandolin, and the Mitguards bring in other musicians - playing instruments including the accordion and the Hawaiian guitar - to enrich their sound.
When Deb Mitguard sent me this CD for review, she wrote, "We believe this is our best effort to date." She's absolutely right.
- By J. Adrian Stanley - The Gazette, October 27, 2006
Review: The Mitguards are influenced by legends like Bob Dylan, Hank Williams, Missisippi John Hurt, Joni Mitchell and Memphis Minnie.
Like the many facets of a supurbly cut diamond, they allow their favorite musicians to shine through, blending into brilliant melodies without poluting their individual creativity.
Although a few songs (most notably "Trumpets, Fiddles and Spanish Guitars") stand out, the album should be played from beginning to end. The songs flow into each other without butting heads, and listening to Chris Mitguard's storytelling is like watching 12 acts of the strangest play you've ever seen.
Playing himself as rugged characters, Chris Mitguard seems to drift from being void of emotion, to secretly disheartened, to downright passionate. Deb Mitguard sticks mostly to sweet vocal harmonies, so it is surprising when she sings lead with a deep, confident voice. If you don't enjoy the stories, the warm bluegrass-country-Americana sound of picked guitars and mandolins still might win you over.
- J. Adrian Stanley - The Gazette, Colorado Springs, CO 2004
It's rare when a band performing in the oft-romanticized, oft-brutalized genre of "roots rock" or "alt-country" actually comes away from its efforts with a dignified, truly moving sound. Manitou locals The Mitguards are one of the few. Weaving together Debbie Mitguard's lovely mandolin riffs and lilting vocal harmonies with husband Chris Mitguard's guitar twangling and Dylan-derived vocal rasp, the Mitguards' hard-knock lyrics are held aloft by simple but catchy rock beats, heartfelt sincerity and great musicainship. With their recently released, Same Moon, featuring Dave Gallupe in tow, the Mitguards' brand of flok would be right at home on stage with the likes of Gillian Welch or Willie Nelson.
- Noel Black - The Colorado Springs Independent 2002
Discography
2007: Ridin' With The One I Love
2004: Nobody's Fool
2002: Same Moon
1998: Restless Heart (Chris' solo release)
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Bio
The Mitguards’ musical style, a hybrid of American roots music that includes traditional folk, country and swing makes their sound powerful and distinct. While they sometimes perform with additional band members near their home in Manitou Springs, Colorado, the core of the band consists of Chris Mitguard on acoustic guitar, banjo, harmonica and vocals, and Deb Mitguard on mandolin, accordion and vocals. Their original songs, framed by unique musical arrangements and raw, haunting harmonies, weave a mixture of humor and tragedy through the stories they tell.
Chris, a Colorado native, is the songwriter for the band and has been writing songs since he was a young boy in the 1960s. His songs create powerful, visual, almost cinematic images. His well-crafted story lines are full of twists, turns and irony. They create the perfect backdrop for his sad, beautiful, sometimes dangerous, and undeniably human characters. His musical influences range from Hank Williams and Johnny Horton to Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash and Mississippi John Hurt. Chris’ strong finger-picking style defines and drives The Mitguards’ sound.
Deb Mitguard grew up north of Detroit where she was surrounded by a variety of musical styles. Current influences include Timbuk 3, John Hartford, and Buddy & Julie Miller. Deb has played guitar and performed since she was a young girl but wasn’t inspired to play seriously until she discovered the mandolin in 1998. Since that time, she has developed a unique and charming style of mandolin. She has a natural sense of composition and theme, which adds layers of texture to The Mitguards’ sound.
Unlike the nostalgic view of life taken by some Americana acts, The Mitguards cast an unflinching eye on the world around them, unafraid to address dark subject matter and equally skilled at revealing the subtle humor of everyday life. Chris and Deb are constantly expanding and stretching their material and performance style. They are dynamic performers that play hard and always aim at the heart of their audience. Their spirited banter and engaging humor creates an endearing and intimate atmosphere, immediately connecting them with their audience.
The Mitguards perform regularly throughout Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, northern California, Tennessee, Ohio and Georgia. After their successful debut tour in 2004, The Mitguards also plan to return to Australia.
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