Country duo breaks the mold on debut

Steel Magnolia, “Steel Magnolia” (Big Machine)

Steel Magnolia — a duo consisting of real-life couple Joshua Scott Jones and Meghan Linsey — breaks the pattern of modern country music duos on their self-titled debut.

For one, the couple share vocals and trade lines on every song, while nearly all other country duos of the last 30 years have featured one primary vocalist. For another, while most contemporary country acts draw on hard rock or Southern rock influences, Steel Magnolia bring a soulful swagger with an R&B and gospel flavor — a rarity in today’s country music.

The duo stand out most distinctively on songs that emphasize their rhythmic punch and growling vocals, such as their outstanding first hit, “Keep on Lovin’ You,” which reached No. 4 on the Billboard country charts. The jaunty “Ooh La La,” which opens the album, and the sensually swaying “Eggs Over Easy” — two of the seven songs Jones and Linsey cowrote on the 12-song collection — also accentuate the duo’s soul-stirring style.

However, when they step away from R&B, as on the sentimental ballad “Just By Being You (Halo and Wings),” they lose their distinctiveness. Fortunately, the couple keeps Linsey’s New Orleans roots upfront, making them one of the most exciting country acts to come along in the last couple of years.

Check this out: On “Homespun Love,” Steel Magnolia revives a long-lost Keith Urban track from the late 1990s, when Urban led a country-rock trio, the Ranch. Jones and Linsey prove how well the love song fits the teasing interplay of their back-and-forth vocals.