A married couple who met while practicing corporate law, Monique Byrne and Andy Rogovin began their family before putting together their impressively layered harmonies to form their “banjo-guitar romance”, Crowes Pasture.
With Byrne on banjo and Rogovin on guitar, the two folk musicians have melded their vocals into a shimmering torrent of soul and grace. As a couple, relationships have a central role in their musical production and the themes woven throughout their lyrics. Their roots-infused contemporary folk sound connects audiences through universal experiences.
Dropping today September 1st is the duo’s fourth album, Don’t Blink, featuring eight original songs and two covers. In keeping with the theme of relationships, this forthcoming album features several songs aligned with this topic, highlighting the importance of showing love to others while we have them with us. It’s no secret life flies by in an instant, taking with it those special memories that we wish would last.
The title track, “Don’t Blink,” is a reminder to savor the joyful moments life brings us, as life is fleeting. Byrne and Rogovin’s gentle harmonies tell the story of a blissful connection between lovers caught in their own world, afraid to miss anything. Delivering the poignant line, “If I blink I’m gonna break the spell,” the two weave a swelling melody that rises and falls, reaching a resolution in the song’s magnificent instrumental end.
With a gentle, stirring melody, the duo reimagines Bruce Springsteen’s “If I Should Fall Behind,” perfectly capturing the tender nature of a lasting love and endurance amidst the cruel world. For those unfamiliar with the original, it is a song about being in harmony and accepting each other’s faults to move forward with a common goal. Crowes Pasture has slowed down the melody, adding a level of intimacy with the lyrical duet.
Originally written by Lord Huron’s Ben Scheneider, many are familiar with the popular folk hit, “The Night We Met.” In their rendition, Crowes Pasture adds their characteristic heartfelt harmonies, forming it into an intimate duet between husband and wife. Byrne’s tender vocals shine with the delivery of each line, saturated with palpable yearning.
First released as a single on July 24th, “Barranco” narrates a deep-seated longing for home, comfort, and family. Accompanied by a lilting melody that bursts with cascading patterns of stringed instrumentation, the song evokes feelings of joy and finding symbolism in the natural environment.
The patriotic closing track, “Take Back The Red White And Blue,” follows a slower rhythm, with Rogovin’s vocals acting as narrator to this story. Pride in one’s country and our privilege of freedom is at the song’s core, spreading a message of solidarity and mutual respect for the flag, despite our being far from perfect. A call to action, the duo urges, “Let no one divide, we’ll stand side by side/ And take back the red, white, and blue.”
With two EPs and three full-length albums to their name after just six years, Crowes Pasture has managed eight Top 10 songs on the folk charts. Their first release, a 7-song cover collection titled Rambling Round: A Woody Guthrie Tribute, was released in 2016.
Named for the salt marsh and tidal flats of Crowes Pasture on the Northside of Cape Cod, the married couple draws inspiration from the receding patterns of ocean tides and shifting sands. In a repetitive cycle of creation and discovery, these natural phenomena reflect the way that life affects humanity.
Fresh from their latest release, Crowes Pasture will be heading out for a late summer/early fall series of performances across New England and Florida. In the short time they’ve graced the folk music scene, the duo has proven their uncanny storytelling ability and evocative musicianship.
