When Rivers Meet - 2 Albums (2020)

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When Rivers Meet - 2 Albums (2020)

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Since bursting on to the UK Blues scene with their debut record ‘The Uprising EP’ in April 2019 followed by their second EP ‘Innocence Of Youth’ in May 2020, Grace and Aaron have been going from strength to strength. The British husband and wife duo have an ever-growing online fan base and have gained the attention of Cerys Matthews’ The Blues Show on BBC Radio 2.

Their unique harmonic vocal-led approach to song writing, dirty electric guitar, slide resonator mandolin and fiddle create a unique distinctive and contemporary blues rock sound that echoes 1970s classic rock with hints of the 1930s blues that inspire them.

Before lockdown, the duo toured the UK in their self-converted VW camper with an impressive tour schedule. Since the lockdown, the duo live stream on Facebook every Saturday at 8pm GMT for their ‘Rock The Lockdown’ series attracting hundreds of thousands of views.

On November 20th, 2020, the duo released their long-awaited debut album ‘We Fly Free’, to critical acclaim from the UK radio and rock music magazine media.

Chris Kimsey, the Rolling Stones record producer praised the album saying that “The performances are exemplary, the sound is magnificent, the songs are gorgeous. I love the drama. I love everything.”

In October, WRM’s first single from the album, ‘Battleground’, was added to the main playlist on the UK’s leading classic rock radio station Planet Rock.

In late November, the band followed up with a second single, ‘Did I Break The Law’, that was played on BBC Radio 2’s The Rock Show with Johnnie Walker. The single was also played on Planet Rock throughout December 2020 and into January 2021.

The UK rock music press were unanimous by praising ‘We Fly Free’ as one of the most striking, refreshing, and impressive debut blues rock albums of 2020.

Classic Rock said of the band’s debut, “Wheel-spinning out of Dodge like Bonnie and Clyde on opener ‘Did I Break The Law’, Grace and Aaron Bond prove capable getaway drivers on a debut album that unfolds like a road movie,” while Blues in Britain described it as “A stunning album of pure alchemy.”

Vive Le Rock said that ‘We Fly Free’ was “urban blues with the brakes off,” and gave the album with a 9/10 rating, while Guitarist Magazine described at album as “electrifying, it’s a great debut.” Fireworks Magazine praised it as “One of the best blues rock albums of the year.”

On October 26th, ‘Battleground’ won “Tracks of the Week” on Classic Rock’s Louder Sound website, who described it as “Primal old-school blues (more John Lee Hooker than Stevie Ray Vaughan) – dressed up in biker leathers and wreathed in arthouse smoke.”

November 2020 saw two more accolades when WRM graced the magazine covers of Blues Matters and Blues in Britain featuring stylish photographs taken by one of the UK’s leading rock photographers, Rob Blackham.

Blues Rock Review voted ‘We Fly Free’ #9 in their Top 20 Albums of 2020 poll.

The album was also made Rock and Blues Muse’s “Top 20 Blues, Rock and Roots Albums of 2020,” alongside Joe Bonamassa, Larkin Poe, Walter Trout, Shemekia Copeland, The Allman Betts Band, Marcus King, Kirk Fletcher, Savoy Brown, Bernard Allison, and King King.

When Rivers Meet’s debut album cemented their name and signified a bold move in their trajectory that singled them out as innovative risk takers, willing to take their influences, and putting their own stamp over it.

After two years of hard work, everything came together. The WRM buzz was in full swing.

Jamie Dickson, the editor of Guitarist Magazine, was quick to catch on to this when he reviewed the debut album by saying, “It’s a tough job to make a new blues-based record that really arrests the listener’s attention, however, WRM’s sound is built of simple but powerful elements, handled with taste but delivered from the gut.”

The music magazine reviews continued to pour in. Adam Kennedy of HRH Magazine proclaimed, “For blues lovers, ‘We Fly Free’ is a purist’s paradise,” while Steve Swift at Powerplay Magazine said, “They may be a duo, but they make a big noise.”

Maverick Magazine said, “This is the start of what should be a hugely successful career, while RNR Magazine focussed on the album’s production standards by saying, “The use of authentic techniques, including tube tape echoes and reverbs, adds to the overall production, reproducing a splendid live, vintage sound that reinforces the appeal.”

When Rivers Meet will release their third single ‘Walking On The Wire’ in early February 2021. The third single taken from the ‘We Fly Free’ album, it will be accompanied by a music video.

In Spring 2022, When Rivers Meet will embark on their debut UK tour as a five-piece.

~ Peter Noble, Noble PR