Maygen & The Birdwatcher “The Americana Dream”
Minnesota-based Americana outfit Maygen & The Birdwatcher’s new album, The Americana Dream, features brilliant vocal harmonies, virtuoso instrumentation, and arrangements buffed and polished to a high sheen.
The album was produced, engineered, edited and mixed by John Fields with arrangement by Maygen Lacey and Noah Neumann. The album was recorded at Creation Audio and mastered by Justin Perkins.
The Americana Dream showcases the talents of Noah Neumann (lead vocals, guitar), Maygen Lacey (vocals, percussion), Jesse Moravec (mandolin, backing vocals), Nik Pellinen (vocals, banjo), Evin Haukos (fiddle), Peter Anderson (drums), Joe Barron (bass), and John Fields (accordion). Artwork Illustration: Eliana Fergus. Artwork Design and Layout: Maygen Lacey.
Embracing a baker’s dozen of tracks, highlights on The Americana Dream include “Gates of Heaven,” with its wonderful a cappella intro, followed by the entry of gleaming guitars. The melody, a delicious blend of Americana and gospel savors, escalates to a dazzling, luminous guitar supported by choir-like harmonies.
“Let me in, oh won’t you let me in / Let me in, oh won’t you let me in? / I’ve been down here, I’ve been tryin / I can’t seem to win / Won’t you open up those Gates of Heaven.”
A personal favorite because of its shimmering layers of harmonics and bouncy rhythm, “Elizabeth” shows off Lacey’s rich, evocative voice – one of those voices brimming with warm tones and rippling, nuanced colors.
On “Hat Man Blues,” the band dishes out waves of individual instruments working together, yet still distinct. On the chorus, the various particularities merge, forming a lusciously sparkling wall-of-sound.
Another favorite because of its twang and drawl, the pure country song entitled “Montana” drifts, sways, and sashays on reedy, sonic textures marinated in deep, rural inflections. The fiddle and banjo-heavy “All I Know (This Love)” offers a simple, vivacious melody riding a springy beat. On this track, Lacey reveals the balance and sumptuous tonality of her voice.
“Danny” closes the album with poignancy, a song that shows off the range and emotional vulnerability of Lacey’s premium voice – tender, a bit breathy, and delicately husky.
With their second album, Maygen & The Birdwatcher convey a vividly unique brand of wonderfully graceful, glossy music.
Discover more about Maygen & The Birdwatcher here.
Enjoy our previous coverage here: Song Premiere: Maygen & the Birdwatcher “Millie Moon”