Why did it take so long for me to come to my senses and pick up on Americana and bluegrass? Now in my forties, having had a childhood where my father and I would play old folk songs on guitars at home, you'd think there would be a natural progression from those days to an appreciation to the folk- and country-infused traditions of these musical styles. But until the last decade, I thought Americana was country and I didn't want to listen to that country twang.
I'm older and wiser now, though, which is why I was thrilled when Mandy Fer contacted me to ask if I'd mind listening to her new album, a collaboration with Dave McGraw called Seed of a Pine. So I checked it out online and listened to a few tracks. I think before I'd finished the first song I sent an e-mail back saying I'd love to hear the rest of the album. And it didn't disappoint.
The stripped-down arrangements—minimal guitars, piano, fiddle and voices—works beautifully to share the feel of a particular track without over-engineering any song. Each tells a story that doesn't get lost in the shuffle as it does in much of the current pop and R&B music played on radio. These songs manage to intertwine a deep passion between the notes of the harmonies composed by McGraw's baritone and Fer's soaring, sultry vocals. Accompanying the duo are acclaimed musicians Peter Mulvey, Po'Girl songstress Allison Russel, and Chicago's JT Nero (of JT and the Clouds).
The tracks run from more traditional folk with simple melodies ("Seed of a Pine") to more blues-influenced ("Serotiny (May Our Music)") to the Spanish-infused ("Comin' Down") and many that defy categorization. But that's part of the Americana tradition, weaving styles as suits the story.
"Waking the Dreamer" has to be one of my favorites. It reminds me a bit of some of the songs from The Swell Season (duo Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova) on the Once soundtrack. There's a rise and fall, and a sense of hope about the lyrics—"Waking the dreamer / for you for you"—amidst a steady drum beat and the pairing of electric and acoustic guitars.
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