The Oklahoma duo’s debut has been long-awaited
Originally planned for a 2019 release, the album is finally available tomorrow.
When husband and wife Maggie McClure and Shane Henry set out to form the Oklahoma-born ‘The Imaginaries’, they had both come from well-established careers as solo artists. They’ve both built up a successful track record in the past, but joining forces was something unprecedented to both of them.
While they’ve worked together in the past, an entirely collaborative project would be something altogether new for them. With the arrival of their self-titled debut album, it’s hard to fathom that even they would know how successful they would become since the beginning.
The album, which happens to be written, produced, and performed nearly entirely by the two, offers an overarching sound that screams hope, salvation, and modern Americana. Not only does it sound as if it took multiple years to create before release, it quite literally was the longest-gestating project for the two.
While it was due for release in 2019, a flurry of setbacks between the two, including a “serious illness” that came upon Shane, continually forced the album to be pushed back so that it could be released when they were both comfortable in doing so.
Across the album’s ten tracks, The Imaginaries focus on soulful songwriting and stylistic instrumentals. Both pre-release tracks, “Revival” and “Walking on a Wire”, showcase their potential to be the next up-and-coming folk act, alongside the likes of ‘The Lumineers’ or ‘Mumford and Sons.’
Aside from their highly anticipated singles, other standout tracks include ‘Geronimo’, ‘Trust Falling With You’, and ‘There Will Come a Day.’ The tracks showcase something special that came out of collaborating. While they have their unique qualities in their solo music, the album as a whole brings something out of them that wouldn’t have been created if it weren’t for them creating this band.
While it’s certainly unexpected as to if or when their next release will arrive, these ten tracks are more than enough to hold tide their fans over for the time being. If there’s one message that the two can take from the release of this collaborative album, it’s that listeners want more from them already.
Review: 4.5/5