Plus One

A War and Treaty record is more than just an assortment of songs—it’s a celebration of the human voice, with husband-and-wife duo Michael and Tanya Trotter serving up a master class in vocal pyrotechnics on each track. This fourth studio album from the pair is no different, spanning 18 tracks full of meticulously crafted harmonies and playful dynamism. It’s all anchored by Michael Trotter Jr.’s larger-than-life production direction (Jesse Frasure, John Shanks, and Jonathan Singleton lend hands here, too), which blends elements of country, gospel, rock, and blues to encompass the duo’s diverse range of influences. *Plus One*, which The War and Treaty recorded at beloved Muscle Shoals institution FAME Studios, opens with the positively buoyant “Love Like Whiskey,” a co-write with Jesse Frasure and Miranda Lambert that makes ample use of a horn section, no doubt inspired by the historic studio setting. “Can I Get an Amen” is modern Southern gothic gospel at its finest, not to mention a playful showcase for the pair’s sonic quirks, as banjo rolls brush up against soulful synth. “Teardrops in the Rain” is a sweeping ballad that sounds timeless on first listen, while “Mr. Fun,” splits the difference between the funky showmanship of James Brown and the empowered pop rock of Tina Turner. Bluegrass guitar virtuoso Billy Strings is the record’s lone guest, as he joins the Trotters on “Drink from Me,” a minor-chord barn burner with some structural surprises up its sleeve.