Gypsy & Me (Mike Moore and Kyzandrha Zárate) is a folk and American inspired duo from North Carolina. The pair released their debut album, Road Sweet Home, back in 2018 and have since released two full-length albums and another EP. Know Hope is the third EP and features a country and modern rock flair to the folk and Americana framework, offering up a variety of roots music influences.

The country sound is pretty evident from the start. Moore's voice has some similarities to that of fellow Appalachian folk sing/songwriter Anthony Oliver. While the timbre isn't the same, the likenesses are certainly there. The raspiness in Moore's vocals paired with the beauty of Zárate's harmonies is a great combination. Lyrically, the album is real. It's based in real life experiences and isn't sugarcoated or rife with Christianese. It's uplifting and lifts the name of Christ ("Ain't Done With You Yet"), but also talks about things like meeting Jesus in a dive bar ("Bar On the Bible Bet") or sipping on whiskey ("Light in the Sky"). Instead of trying to "sound" holy, Moore and Zárate opt for a more relatable approach -- which is refreshing. The duo says their songwriting comes from a place of "storytelling with a reflection of love, life, and the world around us." This is evident just a couple of tracks into the EP. This isn't church music, but outside of the closing track (which is more so a fun song about their love of travel), it's still Christ-centric. Some of the shining examples are: "Ain't Done With You Yet" when Moore sings, "Keep your faith until the end because God ain't done with you yet," the touching "Loss For Words," or, "To ensure that I'm heading down the right road to heaven, so that I can sit right by His side to thank Him for blessing my life and ask for forgiveness when I didn't do right," found in "Light the Sky."

Musically, Know Hope is full of what you'd expect from an album steeped in American roots music. Acoustic guitar, mandolin, fiddle, and harmonica are used liberally throughout. However, things like a rocking electric guitar soaked in overdrive can also be found here and there. "Rattlesnake," for instance, adds some heavy blues influence to the mix. A shuffling drum beat with a blues rock guitar (and great solo) adds a nice change up from the previous acoustic songs. The instrumentation is executed wonderfully, and the production is great. This is a wonderful sounding EP by all counts.

Fans of American roots music should find a lot to enjoy here. Americana is the easiest label to slap onto Know Hope, but it really is a lot more than that. A fresh perspective and lyrics also give this one a lot to love and appreciate. Moore and Zárate aren't worship leaders, but they love the Lord and have a passion for missions and spreading His word. That much is obvious. I would certainly recommend giving the newest Gypsy & Me EP a listen. There's plenty to enjoy in these eight tracks.

*Note: A mild profanity is used in "Can A Woman Ever Love a Ramblin' Man." Moore sings, "If she's never packed to run away 'cause she just don't give a d*mn. Can a woman ever love a ramblin' man?"

- Review date: 1/31/25, written by Michael Weaver of Jesusfreakhideout.com

 

 Record Label: FairVaux Records
 Album length: 8 tracks: 30 minutes, 13 seconds
 Street Date: January 24, 2025
 Buy It: Apple Music

1. Chains (3:37)
2. Bar On The Bible Belt (5:10)
3. Ain't Done With You Yet (Deluxe EP Version) (4:10)
4. Not Afraid (2:57)
5. Loss For Words (3:10)
6. Rattlesnake (3:40)
7. Light In The Sky (3:53)
8. Can A Woman Ever Love A Ramblin' Man (3:38)