An unknown land, one that does not appear on maps. Indifferent to compasses or sextants, oblivious to any cardinal point, meridian, or parallel. As vague as it is real—perhaps a distant, hidden land for many, or perhaps a land that beats within each of us.
The Family Folks may be one of the best-kept secrets on today’s music scene. The band was founded in Vigo in 2014 by Bosco Hill (vocals, guitars, banjo, ukulele, mandolin, dobro, and violin) and Rubén Xuárez (vocals, guitars, banjo, and mandolin). The band’s sound is primarily shaped by folk-rock influences, reflecting both members’ musical backgrounds. Madrid-born Bosco Hill is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and singer who was a member of the band The Last But One. His artistic career has been shaped by figures such as Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, and Dave Van Ronk. He is also one of the group’s two main vocalists and songwriters. Rubén Xuárez, the other main vocalist and songwriter, has been a member of bands such as Foggy Mental Breakdown and High Sierras. His career is deeply rooted in classic rock, garage rock, country rock, and 1960s and 1970s psychedelia. He serves as the band’s other lead singer and songwriter in addition to acting as artistic director and arranger. The lineup is rounded out by Jorge Lorre on bass and backing vocals. Lorre is a renowned musician on the Vigo scene who has participated in projects such as The Allnight Workers, The Bo Derek’s, and Los Wavy Gravies. The band’s drummer is Rufus “el Guarro,” another prominent figure on the Galician scene who has collaborated on projects such as The Allnight Workers, Dead Wood, and The Bo Derek’s. The Family Folks rounds out its lineup as a quintet with the recent addition of the esteemed Galician keyboardist Xabier Vieitez. He is a frequent collaborator with the band and has worked on projects such as Foggy Mental Breakdown, The Merry Melodies, and The Soul Jacket.
The band from Vigo has built a brilliant career on three fundamental pillars: the ability to write great songs, produce them with exquisite care, and blend folk, pop, rock, country, and psychedelia to boldly explore the vast landscapes of American roots music. This remarkable evolutionary journey is evident in albums such as All the Lost Causes (2016), The Anvil Sea (2018), and Naufrage (2022). This legacy continues with the release of their latest album, The Sleeping Land. This fourth album opens with the fiery, furious guitars of Ring the Bells, showcasing an extraordinary knack for crafting singles from the very first moment. The album then invites listeners to delve into the urgent cabaret atmosphere of Dreaming, before shifting toward more psychedelic territory with Indian Autumn and exploring soulful sounds with subtle country undertones in Revolver. The band revitalizes the spirit of old power pop with another great single from the album, No, No, Yes, Yes, a track that could easily be part of the Flamin’ Groovies’ repertoire. 
The Family Folks showcase their most cosmic side on Eden, then treat us to the vibrant and dark Syzygy before returning to power pop with Roller Coaster. The Sleeping Land speaks the unique language of an extraordinary band, capable of blending country with influences reminiscent of artists like Tom Waits on tracks such as Burn, combining the garage rock sounds of Kill with Me with the dark beauty of Dance Rabiuse, which features a guest appearance by trumpeter Borja Suárez. A mature, organic, and authentic record that highlights the band’s unwavering commitment to always working for and through the song. Clear evidence of this are the two compositions that further expand their range of possibilities and serve as the perfect finale to this fourth album by the Galician band: the ethereal Rosemary, Laurel, & Clementines alongside the melancholic and twilight-like Sirenuse.
Sailing toward a place with no coordinates in search of a land yet to be discovered—a land that knows nothing of charted routes, familiar passages, or nautical charts. Distant and unattainable for some. Perhaps all it takes is to close your eyes, feel the heartbeat within, and let yourself drift until you reach that place called The Sleeping Land.
