Home
Watkins Family Hour, Vol. 2
Barnes and Noble
Watkins Family Hour, Vol. 2
Current price: $13.99
![Watkins Family Hour, Vol. 2](https://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0793888107977_p0_v1_s600x595.jpg)
![Watkins Family Hour, Vol. 2](https://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0793888107977_p0_v1_s600x595.jpg)
Barnes and Noble
Watkins Family Hour, Vol. 2
Current price: $13.99
Size: CD
Loading Inventory...
*Product information may vary - to confirm product availability, pricing, shipping and return information please contact Barnes and Noble
isn't the second album by
, the loose collective shepherded by
and
, the siblings who launched their musical career in
. It's the third record from the group, following
, the 2020 album where the
focused on their particular family dynamics. That's not what happens here.
is very similar to the eponymous 2015 debut from the collective, placing the emphasis on a communal set of voices who harmonize, lift, share, and support their colleagues. Some of the cast of characters is quite familiar, either from
records or their regular concerts at the Largo in Los Angeles:
,
, and
are all here, along with
. As notable as the guest spots are, the repertoire is equally diverse and impressive: the set opens up with
' "The Way I Feel Inside," winds through
' "Hypnotized," and
's "Pitseleh," and
's "The Late Show," not to mention the country standard "Tennessee Waltz." What ties everything together is how the
shape each of the songs to fit their aesthetic, which is at once homey and sophisticated. Everything sounds welcoming and comforting, yet not quite familiar, with melodies seeming to run on their own accord and the harmonies emphasizing unexpected emotions. Even "Tennessee Waltz," as shopworn a standard as there ever has been, has a sway, sighing lilt that feels fresh in its intimacy which is every bit as warm as the laid-back ramble through "(Remember Me) I'm the One Who Loves You," a hit for
later covered by
here given a joyous reading with
on co-vocals. Between these two extremes,
tackles a number of different emotions, winding up with a record that's simultaneously casual and deep, a testament to the power of community arriving at an hour where such bonds are often tested. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine