The 2018 release from Eagle Rock, California folk duo All the Things That I Did and All the Things That I Didn’t Do, found The Milk Carton Kids expanding their sound with minimal pianos, extra layers of strings and drums. For their follow up, however, the duo retreats to just the voices and acoustic guitars of Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan, aptly titling the effort The Only Ones.
This simplicity is what first brought them to national attention and this collection of seven tracks is solid, but feels like a regression for a band who was just stepping out of their comfort zone. The dynamite harmonies and strong acoustic playing is still there, but nothing presented on the EP is must-hear.
Opener “I Meant Every Word I Said” is the strongest song and brings to mind the many Simon & Garfunkel parallels as the group sing harmoniously while strumming brightly but The Milk Carton Kid’s constant sense of tension/reservation/gloom is present. The band always has a somber projection, for this track dealing with relationship infighting the mode fits perfectly, but for the title track, it is a hindrance. “The Only Ones” wants to be light and free but the duos dour style weighs it down before an out of place off-kilter ending.
The western tinged “I’ll Be Gone” inserts a small dose of cowboy sounding flair to the acoustic guitars as the two voices work perfectly together. “My Name is Ana” deals with the weighty topics of deportation and a child’s struggle to comprehend harsh government policy while on the flipside; “As the Moon Starts to Rise” is a more poetic ode to nature and love. Closer “I Was Alive” delivers emotional strums and more relaxed vocals, closing the EP on a wistful note as the acoustic guitars intertwine around each other.
The style is time-honored but without a truly standout song to wrap up the listener, their somber folk simply drifts by as pleasant background music. The Only Ones dappled sound is safe for a band that has crossed these sonic grounds in better fashion many times before; hopefully, this EP is just a stop-gap release before the bands next major statement.
