Sacred Vagabonds

This album with six songs was recorded in Nashville, which is not noticeable at all. Instead, it sounds like a British band from the 90s, or a typical American West Coast band, which sounds like the perfect surrogate for the group America. It is melodic, very good vocals and there are tones that make you feel like Dream Academy, China Crises, Crowded House and a few other groups, which primarily focus on the voices and guitars. If you read a little, your ears open even more when you understand that there have been vocal contributions from group members along with respected names such as Christopher Cross, Carole King and not least the third member of America - Dan Peek, who unfortunately passed away far too early. The only drawback with this album is that it only consists of six songs. After listening to it a few times, you can happily say that you want more. And more. And more. Overall, a successful combination of three artists with voices and melodies that really stand out. Today's gem is undoubtedly "All that matters" by Sacred Vagabonds!

https://berlincalling.org/2025/03/14/bast-just-nu-sacred-vagabonds/

“The musical experience of the three vocalists in the Nashville, Tennessee based band ‘Sacred Vagabonds’ is elaborated. Brian Gentry and Ken Marvin have a history as duo 'Marvin & Gentry' and Kim Parent has been providing female backing vocals for big stars like Christopher Cross, Lionel Ritchie, Trisha Yearwood and Carole King. The harmony vocals that they are singing on the six folk & rock tracks of their new EP 'All That Matters' are truly excellent, maybe even perfect.” –

https://rootstime.be/CD%20REVIEUW/2025/MA1/CD25.html

‘Sacred Vagabonds’ is the band name of a six-piece American folk rock formation from Nashville, Tennessee. Band members are lead singer-guitarist Brian Gentry and singer-guitarists Ken Marvin and singer Kim Parent with bassist Alison Prestwood, keyboardist Ray Braun and drummer Paul Eckberg. The vocal work of this band is often harmonious threefold and what is also noticeable when listening to their recently released EP “All That Matters” is their constant attention to meaningful lyrics in the six songs they have brought together on this mini-album.

We have added two of those tracks to this review for introduction, first the official video of the song “Shimmering Skies” and then an audio video of the ballad “Goodbye Old Friend”. The similarities of the work of ‘Sacred Vagabonds’ on this EP with the sound of the folk rock formation ‘America’ from the 70s are striking, especially because of the harmonious singing of three vocalists in this band.

Singer and acoustic guitar player Kim Parent was active for years as a backing vocalist for American pop and rock musician Christopher Cross, country singer Trisha Yearwood, folk singer Carole King and R&B and pop singer Lionel Richie. She now contributes to the unique three-part sound of ‘Sacred Vagabonds’, which can be called a real enrichment. Ken Marvin and Brian Gentry also have a musical past when they formed the group ‘Peace’ together with Dan Peek, the former member and co-founder of ‘America’ and continued to make records as the duo ‘Marvin & Gentry’ after his death in July 2011.

“Beyond Blue” is the softly glowing opening track of this mini-album, after which the light rocking uptempo number “Amelia” follows, accompanied by clever guitar playing. In addition to the two songs that we have included in the accompanying videos, there are two more tracks left with the softly beat-rumbling “Here Down Below” and the title song “All That Matters” in which the three different voices excel once again.

This barely 23-minute EP was created after Brian Gentry’s sister Jill died in August 2024 from breast cancer. As a tribute, he wrote the song “Shimmering Skies” with feelings of great helplessness and immense sadness, which was intended as an extra support for all other women who were confronted with this terrible disease. From the sale of this EP “All That Matters”, 1 dollar will be donated to the ‘National Breast Cancer Foundation’ in the USA, which does groundbreaking work in the guidance and treatment of women with breast cancer.

February 25, 2025

John Apice

Sacred Vagabonds – All That Matters

This showcase that drops February 28th is a 6-song 23-minute EP with 3-part harmonies produced by musicians Ken Marvin (vocals/guitars/bass/percussion) & Brian Gentry (vocals/6 & 12 string acoustic guitars/electric guitars/harmonica). The showcase was recorded in Nashville as All That Matters (Sweet City Sound/Hemifran).

The set leads off with the satiny textured “Beyond Blue” that even projects a hint of the old China Crisis groove. Not quite Steely Dan jazzy but having the necessary laid-back late-night feel that China Crisis’ expressive vocals conveyed (“Arizona Sky”).

“Amelia” however is a little more upbeat & creative in execution. The group doesn’t seem to have any one lead singer & depends on their “lead singer” to be the unified sound of the singers (with individual vocal accentuations by certain lead singers kept economical). It does make an interesting vocal sound that’s fluid. A tactic once employed by pop groups of the ‘60s like The Cowsills & The Association (“Cherish”) & later groups like Prayer Boat.

But Sacred Vagabonds isn’t wholly a pop group since their arrangements fall into a more well-articulated repository. More serious & concerned with atmosphere rather than catchiness. This is evident in “Goodbye Old Friend” which is subtle in approach & helped along by light harmonica notes. There isn’t anything overpowering. They’re not folky, or commercially flexible, yet they do have an informal reservation about them that makes it all quite listenable.

Some songs are treated organically with no vocal treatments, but some songs do have a tint of echo that isn’t pushed too heavily. Some lyrics are a little hard to decipher. Sometimes because of all the vocal colors that are converging on the lyrics at once & sometimes because the instrumentation runs a little hotter. This can be easily corrected through better production techniques. What happens when this is apparent is the listener is enthralled more by the melody than the actual singing. The vocals blur back as just another instrument that’s playing along. This was the blemish that was obvious on “Here Down Below” which sounds like it could’ve been an excellent tune otherwise.

The title track “All That Matters” comes across as mainstream sharp. A perfect blend of male & female voices. Maybe the female voice should’ve been up a notch more. Crisp drum beats, dynamic guitars & more commercial arrangements make this song the most accessible to new ears.

Highlights – “Beyond Blue,” “Amelia,” “Goodbye Old Friend” & “All That Matters.”

https://americanahighways.org/2025/02/25/review-sacred-vagabonds-all-that-matters/

Evil tongues might claim that this music is far too "watered down". That may well be true, but something like that can also work like medicine, the nerves are spared, the solar plexus is warmed, the harmonies caress and simply leave you in a good mood and a pleasant feeling!

How did that come about? Well, the Nashville-based duo Marvin & Gentry, who worked for a long time with the ex-America musician Dan Peek, met the former background singer of Christopher Cross, Kim Parent. So something was already pre-programmed, three-part harmony singing, accompanied by the sound of acoustic and electric guitars, and everything very relaxed. Unfortunately, and this is the disadvantage of this production, all of this was only recorded on an EP with a playing time of just under twenty-three minutes.

The Sacred Vagabonds play pop music with gentle rock rhythms and folk influences. The first thing you notice is the similarity to America, but the band's sound has also been compared to that of China Crisis. Ultimately, All That Matters combines moods from the golden sixties, when bands like The Association and others cultivated this special harmony singing, with music that has been produced since the seventies.

The harmony of the singing comes from the fact that, rather than a single lead singer, they concentrated more on the three voices in the context of joint vocal parts, and that is exactly what is implemented here in a fascinating way. And when I, as a fan of this sound, come across the sound of the 12-string, which has been subtly inserted, in the song "Amelia", for example, I tend to melt.

And because the six songs work as a whole, this harmonious unity makes it difficult for me to filter out a particular favorite song, because they are all beautiful. In fact, I feel that I have to judge this very subjectively, because compared to the meaningless music that is out there in pop music these days, I can't help but highlight the Sacred Vagabonds as an extremely pleasant exception, and even if nothing new has been created here and the sound may seem quite "watered down", it just sounds beautiful and absolutely harmonious and very warm-hearted. PERIOD!

 Wolfgang Giese

https://www.musikansich.de/review.php?id=25489%20%20(review)

Behind the name Sacred Vagabonds lies the duo Brian Gentry and Ken Marvin from the American state of Kentucky, two men who have been working together since the eighties. Initially as the Christian folk rock duo Peace and only for a few years now as Sacred Vagabonds. Co-founder Dan Peek of America was an important pillar under Peace for years and that immediately shows from which corner the music has always blown for Marvin and Gentry: acoustic guitars in the leading role and multi-part vocals. The trend for that acoustic pop was set in the late sixties and Gentry and Marvin are still making a good impression with it. 

Most of the songs on this new album sound like pure nostalgia and breathe the spirit of groups like America and Crosby, Stills & Nash. You can also see All That Matters as a tribute to all the heroes who put this music on the map. And in particular Dan Peek, who died in 2011 at the age of sixty from an inflammation in his heart.

During the nineties, Ken Marvin and Brian Gentry were featured in Peace, in collaboration with producer Dan Peek, one of the key figures of America, their great example, the duo released several LPs. After Peek's death, Marvin & Gentry continued their musical mission in Nashville with Songs From Gholson Road. That was six years ago now.

Sacred Vagabonds also focuses on the dreamy repertoire in combination with a semi-acoustic accompaniment. The harmony singing of Marvin and Gentry is flanked by the vocal contribution and the acoustic string playing of Kim Parent. This lady more than earned her musical spurs as a session and backing singer for Christopher Cross, Carole King, Trisha Yearwood and Kathy Mattea also called upon her services.

The front cover, a simple beautiful painting in warm orange glow by Dana Krammer Marvin, probably an artist friend. From the opener Beyond Blue we let ourselves be carried along, the vocals and delicate accompaniment create a sultry breeze that leads to the sun-drenched beaches of the American West Coast.

The jingling and screeching guitar-driven Amelia meanders undisturbed in the slipstream of The Byrds. The softly swaying title track All That Matters comes remarkably close to the achievements of Crosby, Stills & Nash with a fine guitar part by Gentry.

In Goodbye Old Friend, a ballad that yearns for the carefree past of youth, Gentry's campfire harmonica briefly appears between the heavenly vocals. It returns in Shimmering Skies that concludes this wonderful EP after about twenty minutes. It only makes the longing for sunny, peaceful places stronger.

https://writteninmusic.com/albumrecensie/sacred-vagabonds-all-that-matters-ep/

Three voices create atmosphere and harmony and it is very pleasant to listen to. Nevertheless, it is a compact sound mass that is laid out, but the voices stand out nonetheless.

I immediately think of the group "America" ​​and when I then read that two of the singers have actually played with Dan Peek, an early member of America, I can't help but pout.

Brian Gentry, Ken Marvin and [Kim Parent] really have voices that you notice. Together with the sound carpet of various instruments, it sounds as if the Beatles (and America) producer George Martin was standing in the hallway

https://thirsty-boots.blogspot.com/2025/02