Issue
#152
Sept. ‘11
Wells-Next-The-Sea
sounds like one of those out of reach, far off English townes where the towne
pub is the towne hall, where the elders gather, and where the voices of the
everyman throw down a serious mix of Down-home Americana as defined by Wilco
blended effortlessly with the production of Jeff Lynn. All while still proving
that everything we know as music owes a great debt to The Beatles (and how they
transformed every musical influence that preceded them). Of course at this
towne pub/hall there is a little stage where locals and the like deliver their
statements to what they find important regarding neighbors, the town, the country,
the world, humanity, and all else. Thus giving voice to the people through
whatever means they choose. Of course a lot of bands played there. Bands like
The Hollies, CSN&Y (Neil Young loves this place, solo as well), ELO, Neko
Case, The Icecubes, REM, Buddy Holly, Emmy Lou Harris, Talking Heads, and The
Decemberists all have at one time or another resided in Wells-Next-The-Sea’s
guest house.
Jeff Tweedy, Please note: Your lost twin brother(s) are
alive and well in Chicago, IL.
Wells-Next-The-Sea,
Dan Morr (vocals, bass, baritone,
acoustic, and electric guitars, piano, organ, glockenspiel, mandolin,
melodica), and Philip Robbins (vocals,
electric, acoustic and classical guitars, glockenspiel) (both play glockenspiel!!)
have written and arranged a magnificent album that begs to be presented on the
stage of The Ryman Auditorium.
That presentation starts with Over The Line which
delivers mature wisdom that’s still evolving as midlife crisis collides with
the passage of youthful innocence – “You
don’t want to regret your life/To know you can’t live it twice.” Using a
lush, smooth (just apply lush & smooth to every other track, as well), and
fabulous build, to soar the message “Come
with me/Over the line/You have time/To change your mind,” and taking it to
heights that establish a commanding presence, WNTS delivers their voice to us. They know we truly can live life
twice, it’s just up to us to change it again - we all change our lives when we
leave adolescence for adulthood, but it seems that we are establishing the precedent,
through/with Rock-n-Roll, that we can (consciously) do it again.
Fly On By (i, ii, iii) arrangements highlight many of the
aspects of WNTS’s diversity, it
incorporates Mike Medina (drums,
percussion), and Sarah J. Wille
(vocals, fiddle, electric piano) to round out and send this sound off the
tracks of our senses. The droned fiddle in (iii) sets a mood that settles in
around dusk – in time for Sarah to take center stage with Wilten & Want. Her classical, tradition vocals and harmonies
shine within a beautiful and brilliant presentation which, if my ears are not
mistaken, uses both glockenspiels.
Giants/Lovers is the song that marries bluegrass with Talking
Heads/David Byrne, and hooks Wilco up with REM. This is a smooth running,
runaway train with accompanying lyrics that are too numerous to quote as we
bound along this journey “And if I am a
giant/lover in real life/Will I be a giant/lover when I’m dead.” By this
point, the elders of the towne pub are beginning to understand, that the kids
are alright.
They teach, warn, mentor and guide that mediocrity stifles
creation, that you too can create and recreate your life on many levels, just
as music can. Go no further than side 2. From recapturing the glory days of ‘80s
electro-pop in A Million Ways To Say Enable, to the Buddy Holly-esque strumming
guitar of Homes So Airtight which brings us the “Where’s my heart/Where’s my fire,” chorus that effectively offers
both a question and a journey (a journey that started the day we were born),
WNTS creates and recreates the many levels of (musical) life.
A Bathybic Soliloquy is a soliloquy; music right out of the
middle ages, something you’d expect to find on a Queen album, a traditional ethnic
ballad with gorgeous harmonies and great arrangements. A time-honored southern
march is incorporated in the dreamy Atoms et al. which builds into a
full orchestral movement as if Electric Light Orchestra played on “Hey Jude.”
With that, this out of reach, far off English towne puts the world on notice.
Last call finds WNTS
channeling Neil Young with The Aggregate Scraping The Sky,
allowing us to sit back, finish our brew, nod our heads, and understand why
most of the important proclamations are never heard, people don’t take the time
to head down to the towne pub/hall and listen to what other people have to say,
and how they say it.
Take the time to check in and listen to
guest house
you’ll find it in every one of those out of reach, far off
English townes like,
Wells-Next-The-Sea
guest
house by Wells-Next-The-Sea
Now available for: $8.98 +s/h*
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