Andrew Kenny (American Analog Set) and his newest project, The Wooden Birds, just dropped Magnolia into the ether two days ago and even though not much has changed from much of his previous work, what we have is an incredibly controlled set of luminous folk numbers that sooth the soul and bring his vocals front and center. There’s a simplified warmth to the arrangement of each song on the record and it’s just simply a damn good spin. There isn’t a lot of variation stylistically, but the tempo shifts and dives into more brooding tracks keep it alive and full. Kenny’s return to Texas after his stint in Brooklyn and plenty of  hefty-hyped sidework seems to have jarred something loose and the chilled out and mellow stance of the album is both pleasant and full of sharp taste.

The one sheets and press regarding the album all mention a more full sound with an emphasis on percussion and vocals.  This is readily apparent in the first track. “False Alarm” (Posted below for free download) , features a softly muted bongo-style drumming pattern with minor electric guitar flourishes at the bridge.  The overall tone of the album is constructed immediately with Magnolia and also points out Kenny’s structural control and restraint.  If you’re not a fan of the first track, you’re likely to not enjoy the album, but if the pleasing softness and chill vibe is up your alley, there is plenty to love here.

The soothing percussion is omnipresent throughout the album and blends beautifully with Kenny’s vocal range.  At intervals on the album it’s almost as if the hand tapped bongos are the focal point everything else builds around, specifically in “Hailey” and “Hometown Fantasy” where the drum cadence is provacatively consistent and hand shakers easily swoon you into a chilled out trance.  I haven’t read any other reviews of this record yet, but I’m strongly confident that the rhythmic structure of the entire effort is a major point of emphasis.  Kenny wanted added instrumentation and while the beat is strongly proclaimed, it takes nothing away from the rainy Sunday morning vibe that blankets the entire album.

Of the twelve tracks, nine of them are harmoniously consistent and thoroughly enjoyable; three tracks, however, make this album an intriguing 2009 release worthy of immediate acclaim.  The Wooden Birds breaks from the sylistic consistency at periodic intervals throughout the record to bring a shivering sneer to the audience; these numbers are what make it sing.  “Sugar” is the first shift at track two, with a badass vocal delivery and a more juicy blues and countrified sound.  There’s an immediate nod to Neil Young classic folk balladry, and the mixture of the time-keeping bongos blends the track into dark and brooding .  Several more tracks continue on the initial chilled out vibe until the record takes a soft left turn with the album’s best track, “Anna Paula,” where a mere two and a quarter minutes of whiskey drinkin bitter candy is vaulted away from the rest of the pack.  It’s plucky and awesome.  So young the words won’t come, or to burn your young lungs that you’re breathing out of. The lyrical qualities of many of the songs take a bit of gnawing on to grasp, but the underpinnings of yearning and isolation are everywhere.  Regretfully, “Anna Paula” is not the leaked track, or I’d post it twelve times in a row just so you’d get the picture.  The last major shift is with “Seven Seventeen,” which interestingly is a duet between Kenny and sidekick vocalist Leslie Sisson.  When Kenny starts the song he ponders, She was seven when I was seventeen, and if that’s not enough to draw you into the song, just stop reading this review.  Sisson chimes in during the second half of the track, belting out, You still see this fucked up kid, and the intelligent lyricism of this love journey gone haywire is briliantly done and spices up the overall atmosphere of the record.

If stripped down and consistent folk goodness and warmth is your bag, then this is a requirement in your arsenal in 2009.  As the months go by and we steer into another Winter in Cleveland, I know I’ll probably keep this close by, and if the day requires a little throwback grit and gristle, I know there are a few tracks here with just enough punch to keep that attitude fresh and healthy.  Kenny plays these tracks with a full-on five piece and the prospect of seeing these simple models with added sound immediately intrigues us.  Pick this up now, and let it wrap around your ears.  We’re curious what y’all think of it, too.

The Wooden Birds – “False Alarm”

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