ARTISTS

PRESS
"Ah Holly Fam'ly are a product of the Sufjanization of American folk music. Though they're steeped in Appalachian folksong and tender traditionals, the strangely-named ensemble play with all the precision and decorum of a recital, and bring a sense of religious conviction to their music.

Ah Holly Fam'ly's music is built on strings and woodwinds, forsaking electric guitar, bass, and keyboards in favorite of cello, violin, clarinet, and saxophone. And, mostly, voices. Lead by married couple Jeremy Faulkner and Becky Dawson (the latter whom also records as Saw Whet), the eight-piece ensemble send sung parts cascading through their dexterously-scored songs; their near-choral voices joined so often in joyous harmony.

Faulkner and Dawson hail from rural Idaho, and moved to Portland to further their musical ambitions. Upon arriving, they found themselves playing in Luke Wyland's ace Au project (who released one of 2008's best 'obscure' records, Verbs).

Now, Ah Holly Fam'ly are introducing themselves to the world with their debut LP, Reservoir. Released last week on Portland imprint Lucky Madison, it's an album of much charm and even more humility; all its orchestrations never sounding anything but gentle and tender.

As songwriter, Faulkner possesses that rare quality of authoring lyrics that're both funny and sad at once; never moreso than in "Loneliest City," a survey of global melancholy that takes in the Antarctic perspective and dabbles in a sailor's lust for mermaids." -About.com

"Traditional folk ballads outfitted for an old Disney flick restored in gorgeous, hi-def color. Ah Holly Fam'ly's oddly beautiful songs are the musical equivalent of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride at Disneyland: pretty, mercurial and kind of dark. Led by singer-guitarist Jeremy Faulkner-whose soft voice is one part Jeremy Enigk, one part fallen angel. The tall, lanky Faulkner resembles a camp counselor, a fact all the more apparent during Ah Holly Fam'ly's live shows, which find Faulkner steering a sound that's often aided by instrumentation outside the usual realm of pop music: singing saws, whistling and layered full-band harmonies. The whole experience is gorgeous and a bit disorienting; much like the jaded, unwritten children's movie this band was born to soundtrack." -Willamette Week

"The ghosts of the outfit's old Idaho home are sure as hell puttin' up a fight here, giving us jangly Americana that's restrained as the quiet plains but as dense and winding as the wind. ...see for yourself, you'll soon be wooed by the wallowing saws and countrified lamentations." - Local Cut

"When Ah Holly Fam'ly reaches a peak and all harmonies are a go, man they take you places." - Ten Second Buzz

"Ah Holly Fam’ly’s music is textural, thick, and laden with lots of disparate, delicate acoustics that build into a high and mighty wall of sound. No singing voice is without idiosyncracy or humanity. Nothing is cloying here, nothing forced. There’s a slew of instruments — woodwinds, cellos, guitars, banjos, percussion, theremin (saw?) — none overshadowing or upstaging the other. They form a whole that fulfills me in a way only a family can. That is, imperfectly — but warmly, full of love and are." - Naturalismo Blog

"Ah Holly Fam'ly are almost an Americana Beirut, taking something wholly organic and twisting it, turning it, pushing the envelope for a fresh take on experimental roots music. It's "folktronica," sure, but better arranged and more rootsy." - Portland Mercury

"...the layered acoustic pop of Ah Holly Fam'ly, fantastic on record, is rumored to be twice as flooring in person." - Willamette Week

SHOWS

MEDIA