Banshee Tree – Bad Luck
This 2nd LP is quirky but not in strangeness, in creativity. Possessing the laid down jazzy vocal tonality of Emmett Tinley & Prayer Boat – it’s an effective style, but maybe for acquired tastes. The band is from Denver, & their originality lies in their tender sax notes, strong backup vocals in a layered eclectic setting.
Some music can arrive like a flock of birds & some drift like a veil of locusts. Banshee Tree is neither – it’s more a high-flying bird far from the madding crowd. The indie-pop music grains are fermented in passing jazzy notes from the sax & heavenly backup voices. Stirred in a wild set like Battered Ornaments into a Clannad mix & with the tune “Bad Luck,” throw in a little Amazing Blondell with its Medieval acoustic flavors. But if you listen a few times, a tune like this can be like fly paper. You will stick.
Banshee Tree moves on to “Bright Blue Light,” where their tendencies are closer to Mumford & Sons. It’s all engaging. Produced by vocalist Thom Lafond, there’s really no Bad Luck (Drops April 17/Banshee Tree Records/34:00) on this fine showcase. It isn’t a new concept, but it’s a rare exploration that puts Banshee Tree in a unique position. They dominate a style & they perform it with skill. It’s lo-fi, alt-indie drift is popular nowadays & they’re filled with rootsy musical lines that detour with effect with its jazzy saxes, ethereal choruses & eccentric compositions. This isn’t top 40 pablum, but it’s also not experimental — mainstream ears could find it – uh, captivating.
An accessible tune is “Company of Crows,” with lots of appealing brush strokes. The unified saxes, ghostly voices & Thom’s whispery vocals. After all this, a soaring sax perks up the ears & the tonality is similar to the wonderful work of both the late Johnny Almond of Mark-Almond (“Everybody Needs a Friend”), or Blodwyn Pig’s Jack Lancaster (“See My Way”). It has its rootsy melodies & progressive rock abstracts & it’s arranged impeccably. A delightfully exciting song.
Andy Thorn’s guest banjo enlivens the Banshee Tree style on “Glue.” It’s an “oom-pa-pa” tune, but it’s sung with finesse & suffused with good instrumentation. This is where the band lifts off out of the eccentric mode & proves they’re diversified. The progressive rock band Gentle Giant did a similar thing decades ago when they included a basic rock n’ roll tune on an album called “Bet You Thought We Couldn’t Do It.” They did. I like surprises, like the fine drumming on “Stars Above the Lightning,” by Michelle – superb work.
Highlights – “Bad Luck,” “Bright Blue Light,” “Company of Crows,” “Stellar Jay Theme,” “Glue,” & “Stars Above the Lightning.”
Musicians – Thom LaFond (guitars/pianos/synths/percussion), Jesse Shantor (alto & soprano saxes), Jason Bertone (upright bass) & Michelle Pietrafitta (drums/vocals).
All color images courtesy of the band’s website gallery. CD @ Bandcamp & https://banshee-tree.com/