Georgia Shackleton Trio - The Dog That Would Not Be Washed
The Dog That Would Not Be Washed is the debut album from Norwich’s Georgia Shackleton Trio, a band consisting of members from a recently disbanded folk act. A phoenix from the ashes so to speak.
Right from the off, this is just dripping with quality. The production is nice and clean, without being overdone, and everything just sounds crisp. Drawing inspiration from bluegrass and Americana makes for an interesting mix of music, mixed in with some great story-telling from the lyrics.
With Georgia on vocal and fiddle duties, Aaren Bennett on guitar and backing vocals, and Nic “Zippy” Zuppardi performing mandolin duties, the sound is never messy or frantic. It sits firmly in the “easy” end of the music spectrum, but it’s by no means lazy.
The instrumental tracks even manage to tell a story if you listen hard enough, and provide a nice side dish to go with the meat and potatoes of the album, making a complete meal if you like. To get the most from this album, you need to listen properly, as it’s only then you realise just how clever it is, without it being as pretentious as some folk acts can be.
Great music, great songs, and oozing talent - what’s not to like?
10/10