Furlined - Kill Devil Hills (2024)

Furlined were formed back in 2013 by Bristol singer-songwriter Neil Crossley (that’s Bristol in the UK, not any of its American variants). After two well-received albums, Crossley sidelined the band after 2015 as he worked on other projects, before the interruption of COVID. Now, with a settled lineup, ‘Kill Devil Hills’ is the third offering from the band. The striking opening title track has a strident, robust acoustic guitar riff that is complimented by the effervescent Appalachian twin fiddle sound of Georgina Leach. There is a tightness and energy to the song, and it is a really strong opener. Kill Devil Hills, incidentally, is actually the name of a small town on the North Carolina coast where Crossley spent some time, the experience influencing a few tracks on this record.

The energy is held up over a few tracks early in the record. ‘From Montclair to Tupelo’ has a shuffling rhythm and a catchy melody, while ‘Sanctuary Lives’ has a rapid, moody, edgy feel, augmented by mariachi horns. Gradually, though, the record morphs into much more of a singer-songwriter album, with thoughtful, sensitive, personal lyrics, and a suitably quieter, more simpatico approach to the music. The subject matter returns to this side of the Atlantic, too – a touching ode to Crossley’s parents is titled ‘He Drives a Hillman’, and camper vans head for Devon and Cornwall in ‘Dreaming of Houses’; while ‘Katherine the Great’ celebrates his “audacious, cautious, fearless” daughter.

There are many lovely melodies and arrangements within this very fine record, a sign of a writer who has learned his chops over many years of honing skill and experience. There are certainly nods at times to the alternative pop scene of the 80’s and 90’s, with funky closer ‘Princeton in the Distance’ having more than a hint of Dexys Midnight Runners’ ‘Geno’ in its chorus.

This all feels like a marker of how broad Crossley’s musical background is. As the rockier Americana tracks segue into the folkier, more introverted songs, there is always an infectious pop sensibility running through. Crossley has a rich baritone voice, a range often lent to a somewhat alpha-male sentiment; from him, however, it somehow (and satisfyingly) broadcasts male vulnerability.

This is a very beautifully realised record, with a standout title track that is likely to grab the attention of any Americana fan.