50 Bands in 50 Days – Day 9: The Banner Days

Welcome to the ninth day of 50 Bands in 50 Days, where we’re turning you onto your new favorite Pacific Northwest bands, one day at a time, presented by GigTown. Today we’re getting rootsy with one of the best musical duos in the northwest right now, The Banner Days.

When singer-songwriters Beth Whitney and Bradford Loomis began writing together, they had no idea their casual co-writing experiment would take them as far as it has. Released in August of last year, The Banner Days’ self-titled debut was met with a warm reception from fans and critics alike. The record found the two artists in an interesting crossroads between their similarly bluesy, country-esque sounds and influences.

In our glowing review of the 2014 LP, we had the following to say: “The entire album plays well from front to back, and although I really loved the whole thing, the first and last songs were the ones that moved me the most. They were excellent selections to serve as bookends for the rest of this epic release. This seven song masterpiece should be a part of everyone’s music collection and will surely leave the listener wanting more; it did us.”

Today, The Banner Days releases its hotly-anticipated follow-up LP, Hand Me a Hymnal. The record maintains a lot of the folky, rootsy characteristics of the last LP, but with a subtle emphasis on its gospel influences. The record, as well as the Banner Days in general, is essential to any fan of blues, country, Americana, and anything and everything in between.

For Fans of: Gregg Allman, Sufjan Stevens, The Tallest Man on Earth

You can follow the Banner Days on Facebook, and listen to the new album below.