Watch Mandolin Orange’s FreshGrass Session, Catch them at The Abbey Bar July 10th

Chapel Hill folk duo Mandolin Orange released their third album This Side of Jordan. The duo consists of Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz and incorporates a variety of instruments, from fiddles to mandolins and guitars. Named after the bright-colored mandolin that Marlin plays, the band makes catchy, melancholy folk music with a touch of bluegrass and country. Last month, the duo did a session with Fresh Grass.

The story behind the album, as he told by American Songwriter, is Marlin’s healing process after falling 10 feet into a North Carolina dam. The songs are, by turn, tragic and hopeful. Overall, it’s cozy and honest. Late last year, the band played the catchy ballad “Waltz about Whiskey” during a fantastic session with NPR’s Folk Alley. The song, like most of the songs by the group, are written straight from the heart. What stands out about the band is the sense that they’re being completely sincere in their music.

Catch Mandolin Orange at the Abbey Bar July 10th. Get more details at the XPN Concert Calender. Watch the FreshGrass Session below.