Wasperjaws In-Law Country
Wasperjaws is back, and, like the Avett Brothers did with Emotionalism, the band now has an album whose title names its genre: “In-Law Country.”
What is “in-law country,” you ask? I’m not going to define it. I’ll let the album do the talking. What I can tell you is that it’s sincere. Frontman and co-founder Danny Smith continues to evolve as a songwriter. His John Prine influence is still there, but he’s established his own voice: subtle yet profound, witty, wise and often flat-out fun.
Released Oct. 16, the 10-track album was recorded in February at The Studio in Nashville. Danny is again backed by his wife, Ashley, on harmonies, multi-instrumentalist Dave “Tips” Marley and bassist Everett Conaway. Steve Snyder on harmonica, Isaac Cockrell on drums and Sedric Stevenson on B3 join in and enhance the songs.
The opener, “Bobber,” sets the tone. Danny says he set out to write a song that starts with beginner’s fishing advice. When he ran out of fishing advice, he kept going. The result is loose, light and easy to love. I first put the album on during my drive to cover a political event, and it was exactly what I needed. It eased the tension and put me in a better place. I played the track again, and by the second time through I was singing
That levity carries into “Throwing Codes,” a Seinfeldian bit of everyday exasperation. Danny says he wrote about 20 verses for it and can never remember which ones he’s supposed to sing. Of the ones that made the cut, the last line (spoiler alert) is one of my favorites on the album: “Did I shave my neck for this?” Ashley was hoping he’d take it out. I’m glad he didn’t. Shaving your neck is an investment. I’ve been there. You don’t shave your neck for nothing. You shave your neck because you expect something to happen. And when it doesn’t? You want those five minutes back.
“I Will Not Go” turns more reflective. It’s a quiet defense of the people who feel the pull to run away and disappear but stay put anyway. I can relate. I once romanticized Townes Van Zandt and Steve Earle. Then I read their biographies. The imagery in this song is vivid and beautiful: “But the buzzards are circling ‘round / trying to see what smells so good on the ground / sausage in a frying pan / brings me to the kitchen, baby, just like them.” The chorus is one of the strongest moments on the album. Give it a listen and see what I mean.
“Sarno” is the standout for me. It’s a thank-you to Dr. John Sarno, whose book “Healing Back Pain” changed Danny’s life. After years of back pain and sciatica, Danny had tried just about everything: chiropractors, doctors, pills, gimmicks from Instagram ads. Nothing helped. Then he read Sarno, who argued that the brain can create physical pain to avoid facing fear and anger. Danny signed up for sessions with a mind-body therapist, and after six of them the pain was gone. It hasn’t come back. The song captures what it’s like to finally release something you’ve had bottled up since childhood, connecting the dots and doing the internal work that matters instead of reaching for another band-aid. What I love most is how genuine the gratitude is, and how the song builds, with organ and soulful background vocals carrying it home. It’s so good I shared it with my own therapist. Her response: “Goals!” Songwriters, take note.
“Best of the Blest” is another favorite. Dave pitched Danny the idea months before the song arrived. It has a similar feel to “Bobber” and pokes fun at a woman who (if it’s possible) may be a little too devout. Her favorite part of the service? The offertory. It has that Prine touch, which makes it too playful to be a diss track. It’s clever and hilarious, especially the ending: “She loved Jesus so much that when she passed away she cut in line to meet him first.” The accordion brings it home, playing “Amazing Grace” and “Jesus Is Mine” between verses, and the chorus is a catchy one: “Lord we all live in the same old mess / she knows all the unspoken requests.”
As with everything Wasperjaws does, the album is personal and vulnerable, and it’s a family affair. Two songs, “Maude” and “Storms,” come from Danny’s brother Paul, who co-wrote “March 28, 1992” on the band’s last album. Danny says he borrowed them the way Paul once borrowed a 25-cent banjo. “Maude” started as Paul’s improvised ode to a girl he was seeing, whose name wasn’t actually Maude. She went on to become Danny’s sister-in-law. In-law country, indeed. It’s also as bluesy as the album gets. Snyder gets to cut loose on harp.
I particularly love “Storms.” It’s a sweet duet between Danny and Ashley (her harmonies are more present here than on other tracks), and Danny’s vocal reminds me of Ben Folds, as do the lyrics: sad, yet hopeful. When I sit with it, the song feels like a meditation, a reminder to stay present no matter what’s to come.
“Three Wrecks,” three true stories of near misses, was cut with Everett in the last hour of studio time. They kept the fifth take. It’s a surprising track for the album, but it shines a light on Danny’s Kentucky upbringing: a bona fide front porch jam.
“Whippoorwill,” inspired by Danny’s great-grandfather playing “Silent Night” on an old accordion at Christmas, may be the most vulnerable song here, and it’s better for Dave insisting it didn’t need a chorus. The closer, “Bull Street,” is named for the road past South Carolina’s old state asylum. Danny sat on that song for a decade before sharing it, and it’s the album’s wildest swing. He goes for it here, and it’s a great note to end on, leaving you wanting more. The screams at the end remind me of the Avett Brothers’ “Four Thieves Gone” album, but it’s its own thing: Wasperrockabilly!
I said I wasn’t going to define in-law country, and I’ll stick to that. But it’s worth noting that the album is dedicated to Danny’s in-laws, Randy and Becky. The liner notes also hold up a vision of musical success that rarely gets talked about anymore: making music with your friends, playing the bar on Friday and the church on Sunday, and making something beautiful for the people who share your life. That’s what this record is. Ashley writes that she’s not sure whether you can witness a genre being born. After a few spins, I’d say you can.
“In-Law Country” is available wherever you stream your music. Those interested in purchasing an album can contact Wasperjaws on its social media platforms.
Find the music here: https://wasperjaws.bandcamp.com/album/in-law-country
Highlights: “Bobber,” “Throwing Codes,” “Sarno,” “Best of the Blest,” “Storms”