REVIEW: The War & Treaty Exemplify Quality and Quantity on Moving album, ‘Plus One’

RATING CHART:
1 note – Pass
1.5 notes – Mediocre
2 notes – Average
2.5 notes – Above Average
3 notes – Good
3.5 notes – Great
4 notes – Excellent
4.5 notes – Exceptional
5 notes – Classic

Videos by American Songwriter

THE WAR & TREATY
PLUS ONE
(UMG)
🎵🎵🎵🎵 1/2

Popular music is littered with dynamic duos connected in ways that are both personal and profound. Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Sonny and Cher, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., and Peaches and Herb are all obvious examples. Yet few have shown the verve and versatility expressed by the powerful pairing known as The War & Treaty. Comprised of husband-and-wife duo Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter, the twosome, which first formed in 2014, has gone on to become one of the exciting and engaging acts within today’s Americana environs, having scored a pair of Grammy nominations and nominations from both the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music. So too, it’s little wonder that the Americana Music Awards accorded them Duo/Group of the Year honors for two years running.

Matching—much less exceeding—the level of accomplishment that marked their 10 years of making music together might have proved an auspicious task, yet their new album, Plus One, finds them accomplishing just that. The Trotters’ success is exemplified by quality and quantity; with a track listing that spans 18 songs, skill and sentiment find equal footing. A soulful sway dominates the proceedings, with emotional ballads like “Reminisce,” “Teardrops in the Rain,” and “Mr. Fun” serving as prime examples.

As a result, their voices soar, as expressed through the rousing wail and revelry that accompany “Carried Away,” “Love Like Whiskey,” “Glorious Ones,” and “Love Is On Fire,” in particular. The confessional stance Michael Trotter takes on “Skyscraper” (which finds him declaring himself out of his wife’s league due to his girth while also promising to lose weight) shows how they operate from a purely personal perspective. The upbeat exhilaration powering “Drink From Me,” “Leads Me Home,” and “Tunnel Vision,” as well as the gritty gospel-infused “Can I Get An Amen” add extra exuberance to the album overall.

Plus One is far more sumptuous than its title might indicate. Both moving and memorable, humanity and humility provide the extra bonus.