Some artists wait their whole career to play a show at the Ryman. Brothers Osborne got three consecutive nights. In February this year the CMA award winning duo played a sold-out run in Nashville’s mother church of country music. For those who couldn’t be there, fear not. The album ‘Live at the Ryman’ has arrived.

Live albums fall into two categories – those that bring a phenomenal experience right into your living room, and those that are just record label money spinners. Thankfully, this Brothers Osborne album is the former. “To be on our third night right here now, honestly, it’s just really surreal.” Throughout the album you can feel how much this means to them. There’s unwavering energy and passion in every last note.

Notable tracks on the album include ‘Shoot Me Straight’ and ‘I Don’t Remember Me (Before You)’ from the album ‘Port Saint Joe’, as well as ‘Rum’ and ’21 Summer’ from ‘Pawn Shop’.

Brothers Osborne’s best-selling hits, ‘Stay a Little Longer’ and ‘It Ain’t My Fault’ are even bigger and weightier on the live recording without the restriction of studio polish. That said, ‘It Ain’t My Fault’ then runs to a lengthy sixteen minutes, and while I am sure that when played live this was ecstasy, when sat at home with washing to do, grass to mow and kids to feed, this might not hold the listener’s attention.

The unsung stars of the album are the audience. The choir of the Ryman church. They provide some uplifting moments, particularly on ‘Weed, Whiskey and Willie’, where the chorus of the crowd gives this track the anthemic status it deserves. And on ‘21 Summer’, TJ encourages the audience: “If you can’t sing that’s fine, I’m just looking for some good old-fashioned enthusiasm”. And enthusiasm they provide in abundance.

For UK fans who are itching to see the band in the flesh, Brother’s Osborne will be touring the UK in May 2020, with a sizable six date tour in Birmingham, Cambridge, London, Edinburgh, Manchester and Leeds.

If the shows in the UK are going to have even half the magic of the Ryman set, they’ll be taking us all to church. And in the meantime, ‘Live at the Ryman’ is a good substitute.

1. ‘Drank Like Hank’
2. ‘Shoot Me Straight’
3. ‘I Don’t Remember Me (Before You)’
4. ‘Weed, Whiskey and Willie’
5. ‘Down Home’
6. ‘Rum’
7. ‘Pushing Up Daisies (Love Alive)’
8. ‘Tequila Again’
9. ‘21 Summer’
10. ‘Love the Lonely Out of You’
11. ‘Stay a Little Longer’
12. ‘It Ain’t My Fault’