The Wildwoods – Dear Meadowlark
The first tune is like going to church to listen to a choir. The tonality & harmony of The Wildwoods’ voices are impeccable. But when it ends, a nice, gentle acoustic guitar introduces “Sweet Niobrara,” where lead singer Chloe Gose (vocals/violin) projects a warm Allison Krauss-type vocal. Framed by the balanced male vocals that surround Chloe with lavish textures.
Recorded in Omaha, Nebraska & produced by Ben Brodin (organ/vibraphone) & the Wildwoods, 11 songs (including a bonus track) are addressed in Dear Meadowlark (Drops April 11/Independent/37:41). The songs explored are often presented with picturesque lyrics & a genuine folky-bluegrass distinction. Songs about villages in Nebraska, the restlessness of youth before adulthood, finding an inner retreat, homesickness, with looks into the past, present & future. There’s just enough mainstream catchiness to their songs that keeps too much tradition at bay & focuses on easy-to-appreciate melodies that even people not from a rural place like Nebraska can appreciate.
Their youthful, genuine voices are ideally suited for this kind of music & their showcase is well-crafted & carried off. There’s almost a Fleetwood Mac feel to their musicianship, even though Mac is not nearly close to being a bluegrass-oriented band. But the vocals have that interplay together as tight as the Mac did. There’s a lot of beauty to their vocalization.
While the musicians are impeccable on these cuts, the vocals are arranged so superbly that the human voice upstages all the fine playing. The ears immediately hook up to the human voices with the instruments — a bonus. There’s a rural feeling to it, but it never sounds like hillbilly music rooted in mud but rich black soil — because of the abundance of clarity, exuberance & arrangement skill that presents the music as pure Americana & it’s what America is known for.
It’s not folk music, Appalachian or otherwise, it’s not country either. It’s bluegrass with pop ornamentation. The tradition of the genre is not messed with. It’s music that impacts the ear immediately. If you’re a writer, this music can inspire, motivate & relax. Even songs like “I’m In Sandusky” with Noah Gose (acoustic & electric guitars/composer) vocals dominating & Chloe providing the backing tastefully. It maintains the good Fleetwood Mac/Buckingham-Nicks style.
There isn’t a bad song here. Even fans of singers like Aimee Mann, Natalie Merchant & Maria McKee would enjoy the songs that fill this bluegrass bag of nuggets.
Highlights – “Meadowlark,” “Sweet Niobrara,” “Hideaway,” “I Will Follow You To Willow,” “Dear Stranger,” “I’m In Sandusky,” & “Rabbit Hill.”
Musicians – Andrew Vaggalis (vocals/upright bass), Harrison Eldorado (drums/percussion) & Sam Stanley (cello).
The color image is courtesy of the band’s Bandcamp site. CD @ Bandcamp & https://www.thewildwoodsband.com/