The Broadcast has recently released a new album titled From The Horizon, and this one is going to wake you up and make you pay attention! The group is from Asheville, NC, where they moved from New York City, and features a top-notch group of musicians with a fantastic vocalist, Caitlin Krisko, who has, according to the press bio, been compared to Grace Slick. She does have that kind of power and control, but in the depth and tone of her voice, she reminds me more strongly of Reba MacInyre.  In addition to Krisko, the group consists of guitarist Aaron Austin, Ted Marks on bass. and Tyler Housholder on percussion. Producer Jim Scott also brought in John Ginty on keyboards and Michael W. Davis on drums.  They describe themselves as “Americana rock” and  that’ is a  fair description of their sound, which  has powerful overtones of Country and Indie Blues.  They  list among their influences Led Zeppelin, Grace Potter, and Fleetwood Mac and all of those influences are evident on From The Horizon.

The album opens up with the  up tempo “Steamroller” and Krisko takes charge from the start. The next song, the funky “Double Down,” establishes the credo for the album with its invitation to stop looking down and look around and take chances on life. “Sign It Off” slows things down slightly as Krisko sings about being willing to just give up and move on when that is obviously the thing ti do.

“On The Edge” is a fine bit of storytelling that  strongly reminds  this reviewer of the powerful country  and rock female singers like Reba MacIntyre, Bobby Gentry and Dusty Springfield. Krisko’s voice is perfect for this kind of singing, full of emotion yet never strident or out of control.  She shows that  same perfect control while fully conveying the aching melancholy of “Electric Light.”

“Every Step” gets a bit jazzy and  features some really excellent organ from Ginty, and the whole band gets to show off how tight they are while Krisko still shines just as bright as she has throughout the album. “Eyes  Of A Woman” is soulful and bluesy. it highlights how completely the band captures powerful emotions in lyrics that are straightforward and say exactly  what they need to say.

“Bring It On Home” Is a flat-out blues-rocker with an up-beat message about being on the road working hard and enjoying the simple rewards at the end of the day. “Sirens” then gets introspective, as the lush keyboards underscore Krisko’s haunting voice as she invites the storm to wash away her mistakes and leave her clean and new.

Approaching the end, the album just seems to be getting stronger with “Battle Cry,” a rocker about facing life’s tough times with defiance. “Let Me Hear Your Battle  Cry,” sings Krisko and you just want to stand up and scream at whatever is bothering you.  This song features some tasty slide guitar, too.  From there, it seems appropriate to end on a song of loss and hope,  the country blues of “From the Horizon.,” with the vocal  perfectly set off by the acoustic guitar.

From start to finish, this is an excellent album. The production, pace, and all of the musicians are perfect.  The Broadcast would be a talented bunch no matter what, but the two things that set this particular album apart as something really special are Krisko’s amazing voice and ability to use it effectively and Scott’s decision to bring in John Ginty, because the keyboards really add a dynamic punch to the album.

For anyone who enjoys  blues rock, or Americana, or just the sound of a great powerful female blues singer backed by a very strong , you are going to love this album. Don’t miss out on this one.