Oliver Wood – Fat Cat Silhouette
Oliver Wood – one third of the stellar Americana band The Wood Brothers – finally has a follow up to his 2021 solo debut – and it once again proves to be worth the wait. On Fat Cat Silhouette, Wood brings in a slew of friends to help out with this one including Seth Walker, Sean McConnell and Ric Robertson as well as Los Lobos’ Steve Berlin and Marshall Tucker Band’s Marcus James Henderson, among others. The result is a refreshingly laid-back affair that’s part hootenanny, part solo reflection.
The record opens on “Light And Sweet,” an apt title for a mellow acoustic number that feels like a back porch singalong. While his easygoing vocals and playing are a major part of his appeal on songs like “Little Worries” and the bluesy “Grab Ahold,” Wood also flaunts the other compelling aspect of his music with his earnest, unguarded lyrics. “Yo I Surrender,” a collaboration with Berlin on sax and others, comes off like an impromptu jam. The album’s final songs, the forlorn “Have You No Shame,” with co-vocals from Katie Pruitt, and “Fortune Drives The Bus,” are the two big outliers on the record coming across as heartrending but are both beautiful songs nonetheless even if they slow the momentum down a bit.
Wood turned to his bandmate Jano Rix to help him produce this one and both did a remarkable job of keeping the record as loose and the band’s much-adored live sets. “Making this album was a process of being immediate, making quick decisions, and trusting that the universe and my years of experience would handle the rest,” explains Wood. “I wanted to get outside my box and embrace the uncertainty of what’s out there. I wanted weird guitar tones. I wanted more percussion and less drums. Once we began experimenting and doing whatever inspired us, the pressure melted away and I felt liberated.”
Enjoy our previous coverage here: REVIEW: Oliver Wood “Always Smilin’”
Find the music and more details here: https://www.oliverwoodmusic.com