Now Playing: Tenth Mountain Division’s ‘Butte La Rose’

Tenth Mountain Division is prepping for the release of a new album. It’s titled simply Butte La Rose and drops on June 18th. But first, for those not yet familiar with the act in question, a bit o’ background.

Tenth Mountain Division

Tenth Mountain Division is an American band based out of Boulder, Colorado. According to their Facebook page, the group is named after the WWII military unit of the same name that pioneered “mountain combat”, and “founded Vail, CO.” The group was born of a friendship between guitarist MJ Ouimette and mandolinist Winston Heuga.

The performing pair played together in high school and founded the band while attending the University of Colorado. Their roster grew as the years passed. The current roster includes Heuga mandolin and vocals), Ouimette (guitar and vocals), Andrew Cooney (bass, guitar, and vocals), Tyler Gwynn (drums), and Campbell Thomas (keyboards and vocals). Their resume features two previous platters including their debut disc, 2016’s Cracks in the Sky, and numerous live gigs as well.

Signature sound

Tenth Mountain Division’s signature sound is a mix of multiple music genres including (but not necessarily limited to) country, pop, rock, roots, and soul. The group has what they call “an eclectic intersection of influences.” The group is focused on taking “the sound found in the mountains in ...new directions” via a “high energy electro-acoustic sound.”

Butte La Rose

Butte La Rose is a ten-track release and their third studio album. Guest musician Will Trask provides the band with additional percussion throughout the entire release. Ouimette told the press the work is “a snapshot of TMD’s last year of touring fused with new offerings that will intrigue the ear with stylistic diversity, unified by the personality etched in each song."

Track by Track

The album opens on “Hot Sweaty South.” It’s a strong start as the band jumps right into things. Here they are backed by Nathan Peoples (saxophone), Gabriel Mervine (trumpet), and Scott Flynn (trombone)

The second selection is the lead single “Sad Summer.” It features a distinctive surf-rock beat. It’s a 1960s beach bit with a modern twist and other modern musical elements added for good measure in a song about summer heartbreak.

Next is “Highland Morning”. Here the music sets yet another mood with a nice, not-too-sweet song. It features special guest Elliott Peck (Midnight North) on backing/harmony vocals.

“Spring Chicken'' is the album’s only instrumental. It’s a nice aural palate cleanser. It seems a tad too early as the listener should still be plenty ready to hear more of the group’s distinctive songs. Ah, well, it matters not. It works as the listener lets his/her mind soar with the music.

“Get Out of My Head” is soulful, somber, and subtly strong. It includes producer Tim Carbone (Railroad Earth) on backing vocals. It’s quite an effective audio offering.

“Burning Heart” follows here. The band’s fluid signature sound remains solid. The track is an early fan fave and a noteworthy number.

“Girl Like You” is the next number. It has its own cleverness within the lyrics. No doubt this one is an especially effective song when the band performs live.

Get excited, as the brass is back on “Got Too Excited.” Peoples, Mervine, and Flynn encore here to flesh out the feel of the composition.

Also included here is “Drown You With The Bottle.” It is a sturdy rocker and holds the listener’s attention quite well as the album endnote is already on its way.

The closing cut is the eclectic “Big Blue Sky.” It tops things off with a depth and darkness not found elsewhere on the album.

Overall…

Overall, this album is essentially an effective example of the band’s abilities, musical moods, and varied tuneful tastes for new listeners, and a welcome serving of new material for hardcore fans. Whether you prefer fun, light, and danceable, or thoughtful, heartfelt, and sincere, there is something for everyone here. So check out Tenth Mountain Division’s Butte La Rose and truly experience the “Big Blue Sky” for the first time.

(Images courtesy of​ Tenth Mountain Division)