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 Press Photo Credit: Laura Partain The Wood Brothers Ninth Album Puff of Smoke Out Now Grammy-Nominated Trio Offers Joyful, Mindful Reflections in Uncertain Times In a year when the human condition feels more complex than ever, The Wood Brothers return with Puff of Smoke (Honey Jar/Thirty Tigers), their highly anticipated ninth album of original music. The Grammy-nominated progressive Americana trio guitarist/vocalist Oliver Wood, bassist/vocalist Chris Wood, and multi-instrumentalist Jano Rix deliver an 11-song collection brimming with optimism, wit, and spontaneity. Rather than serving as a literal soundtrack to turbulent times, Puff of Smoke embraces a more contrarian outlook: life is unpredictable, and that’s a good thing. “We’re not in control,” says Oliver Wood. “And that can be good news.” Drawing on two decades of shared experiences, the album pairs poetic, Prine-like lyricism with the adventurous musicianship fans have come to expect since their 2006 debut Ways Not to Lose. “This album is a little bit schizophrenic and eclectic it goes in a few different directions,” Oliver explains. Chris adds, “Over time, the diversity of things we can do has all become part of our language.” Recorded largely at The Studio Nashville in the city’s Sylvan Heights neighborhood, Puff of Smoke captures the band’s improvisational spirit. Many of the final takes like the front-stoop ease of “Slow Rise (To the Middle)” and “You Choose Me” were the first times the trio played the songs in full. Co-producer Brook Sutton often captured the moment without interrupting the creative flow, preserving the raw energy of discovery. The band’s restless curiosity manifests in fresh sonic textures: “Witness” blends a groove steeped in the pan-American songbook with bursts of New Orleans brass; “The Trick” features an overdriven Fender Rhodes run through distortion and octave pedals; “Above All Others” floats on underwater-calliope tones from a manipulated analog synth; “Pray God Listens” combines inside-the-piano string muting with Tom Waits-style whimsy. Mindfulness and meditation also inform the album’s heart. “‘The trick is not to give a damn’ that’s detachment,” Oliver says. “‘I’m just a witness’ that’s observing life without being consumed by it.” Even in the wry “Pray God Listens,” humor and cynicism give way to compassion and humility. “Creativity is a winding road, not a straight path,” says Rix. “If you’re open to it.” Puff of Smoke stands as a reminder that life is both fragile and precious and that joy can thrive even in uncertain times. The Wood Brothers invite listeners to take the ride. Tracklist 1.The Wood Brothers - Witness 2.The Wood Brothers - Puff of Smoke 3.The Wood Brothers - Pray God Listens 4.The Wood Brothers - Money Song 5.The Wood Brothers - The Trick 6.The Wood Brothers - Is It Up To You 7.The Wood Brothers - Above All Others 8.The Wood Brothers - The Waves 9.The Wood Brothers - Slow Rise (to the middle) 10.The Wood Brothers - You Choose Me 11.The Wood Brothers - Till the End Website: thewoodbros.com Opmerkingen zijn gesloten.
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