The Wood Brothers – Puff Of Smoke
Nine albums deep into their career, you have a pretty good idea of what you’re getting with a new Wood Brothers album. And thankfully that trend still holds true with Puff Of Smoke.
That’s not to say there aren’t any musical surprises here. While folk and Americana still buttress their sound, the opening track, “Witness,” is punctuated by a subtle New Orleans brass sound that would make Dr. John proud. Elsewhere “Pray God Listens,” a brilliantly sly track, is backed by a Cuban-inspired rhythm section. “Above All Others,” with its soaring guitars and vocals competing with a calliope is their most experimental song yet.
“There’s a lot to unpack musically in this band, and it’s been this evolutionary process over the years and on each subsequent record,” said bassist/vocalist Chris Wood. “Over time, the diversity of things we can do has all become part of our language.”
But, by and large, the band remains faithful to the unspoken promise they’ve upheld for two decades: delivering catchy, relaxed roots rock with hints of funk and blues, paired with humorously clever lyrics.
Across 11 tracks, the trio deliver a soundtrack to help you get through the mind numbingly fraught times we are currently living through in this country. Whether it’s the advice given on “The Trick,” (“The Trick is not to give a damn”) or on the “Money Song” (“Money gives you peace of mind/Like a drug, it wears off over time”), the band offers a brief respite from realty.
The album ends on a sweetly optimistic tone with the lush “Till The End.” The band is heading for a run of shows down down the East Coast followed by an extensive Fall tour across the Midwest and Northeast beginning in November.
Find their tour dates here: https://www.thewoodbros.com and their music here on BandCamp https://thewoodbrothers.bandcamp.com/album/puff-of-smoke
Enjoy some of our previous coverage here: Show review: The Wood Brothers, The War and Treaty at Red Ants Pants Festival, Montana
