Brown Bird – Salt For Salt
For their fifth LP, the Rhode Island duo Brown Bird (David Lamb and Morganeve Swain) decided to record a stripped down album in an attempt to capture the intensity of their live shows. In many ways, this album is very successful. David Lamb’s voice pierces through the monotony of modern indie folk and cuts you to the core like the blues of the 30’s and 40’s.
Never afraid to experiment, the duo avoids the common pitfalls of blues and makes each song truly unique. The first track, “Fingers to the Bone”, is a brilliant harmonized and performed throwback to old bluegrass tunes. Some songs even throw out hints of Eastern European folk music, but it never feels out of place. The best example of this is the song “Cast No Shadow”. Really, Brown Bird’s most striking feature is, without a doubt, Lamb’s soulful vocals. The instruments, although subtle, stand out in their own way, without overpowering Lamb’s vocals. Like the subtle instrumentation, the lyrics are simple but tell a story. The beauty of the way Brown Bird writes songs is that you don’t NEED to pay attention to the lyrics to enjoy the song, something many blues and folk artists tend to fall into.
While each song is very unique and Lamb’s vocals are very nostalgic, some songs tend to lose the listener’s interest. It is very easy to say that some songs stand out heavily over other songs. But when the album picks up, it stands up to attention and it is a very pleasant experience. If you appreciate classic blues and bluegrass, I would definitely suggest this album, but don’t be angry when some of the songs don’t live up to expectations.
Rating: 6.8/10
RiYL: The Tillers mixed with A Hawk and a Hacksaw, bluegrass, blues.
Recommended Tracks: “Fingers to the Bone”, “Cast No Shadow”, “Thunder & Lightning”
