Gallery/review: Jared & The Mill, the Cerny Brothers bring their energetic folk to the Mint

Kelsey Heng on
1

Jared&TheMill-37

Story and photos by Kelsey Heng

With the recent resurgence of all things country western, plaid and denim button-downs aren’t the only abundant trend  around – folk-infused music is everywhere. For many, we have Marcus Mumford to thank/blame for both. And Tuesday night’s show at the Mint featured two bands who are dressing and playing the part.

The Cerny Brothers, hailing from rural Illinois and recently having made that idyllic westward journey to California together, have been making music as a duo since their youth. Brothers Robert and Scott Cerny are the songwriters of the group and exude most of the raw energy from the stage, with a driving support from bassist and drummer. It’s a group without any trendy gimmicks, a lead banjo player strumming with the same vigor as if on the electric guitar and simplistic lyrics delivered with strength. A rambunctious tonality, attributed to a studio collaboration with Matt Linesch, the Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros producer, translates perfectly live.

Jared & The Mill followed the act in similar spirit and appearance, that banjo and upright bass making their immediate stage return, joined this time by a washboard. The five-piece band from Phoenix has become known as the impressive band that fills hometown venues. It’s true, they have the fun energy, talent, and a personable ability to connect with audiences making lovers out of spectators. Jared Kolesar leads the band both in name and in demeanor through his vocal power, backed by his folk instrumentalists. With harmony-rich songs such as “Breathe Me In” and “In Our Youth,” the future success of the band is surely close at bay, but therein lies the disconnect. The whole country bit still comes across merely as a veneer, missing some needed piece of mature honesty.

The Cerny Brothers return to the Mint for a residency in April. Jared & The Mill started off their two-month U.S. tour in L.A., hitting the road behind their newest release titles a “Westward Expansion.” The band was also just added as an official artist at SXSW in Austin.