SOD: The Wood Brothers "When I Was You"

This song sets the standard for this week. It's off the Wood Brothers newest album, which I'm ashamed to say I've only recently listened to for the first time (as in, this past weekend). You see, music has become as much about production, as it has the notes people play and the lyrics they sing. Steely Dan, an all-time favorite duo of mine, is one kind of sound live, and a completely different one on the album. Most of their albums had contributions from 30+ musicians or so. Each song was produced to absolute perfection. And you can hear it when you listen to it. It's mastered to a tee. There's something to be said for that kind of production, absolutely. It works for Steely Dan. They're not playing down and dirty country or blues, or stripped down rock n roll. They were eclectic in their style, and precise with just about everything. A very produced sound was called for. But such is not with the case with the Wood Bros., and I have to say, it's refreshing to hear new music being made like this.

The Wood Brothers are another side of the story on what it takes to make an album sound good. To me, this is what the heart of music is about. You sit down with instruments in hand, you press record on whatever device you've chosen to record on, and you just go. And 5 minutes or so later when you're done, if it sounds anything like what the Wood Brothers have created here, then you know you're on track. To be able to sit down and play with that level of ease and create that sound without the assistance of any mechanized junk, is a mastery all its own. It's got life. It lives and breathes like an animal in the room for those 5 or so minutes. Its stirring, at least for me.  

Obviously, these guys are no strangers to the trade. Chris Wood (bass), played for the very experimental fusion group Medeski, Martin & Wood, whom I was introduced to in college by Phish-Head friends, but didn't really appreciate until later on. It can be a lot to digest at times, and I'm certainly no die hard fan. I wouldn't even say I'm versed enough in their music to be a fan. But I can appreciate what they were doing, and certainly the level of skill they played with. And Oliver played behind one of the best most consistent blues guitarists around, Tinsley Ellis (Speak No Evil is the only album I personally own, and it is the real deal). But the music that Chris Wood is playing now with his brother Oliver, is very different. There's no tricks in there to get the vocals to sound warmer or more inviting, or doubling up on tracks to attain a different sound. You can see it with your own eyes, just check out their site or youtube. The little inconsistencies are as much a part of this kind of music as the instruments itself. It's real. It sounds real, it feels real, and your reaction to it is VERY real, because you can hear and see it being made exactly as it is, right before your eyes. 

I loved these guys the moment I heard them. A good friend of mine (and my source and guru for all things music) introduced me to two amazing albums of theirs; "Ways Not To Lose"(2006, their first studio album) and  "Loaded" (2008).  And  I hope he doesn't mind the shout out, but since Matt put me on the path, I have not been able to stray from it, for even a day. He has a knack for finding sniffing out the real gems of Americana/Folk/Blues type music. And let me tell you, these guys are not to be overlooked. The first track that I listened to was "Luckiest Man" (off the album Ways Not To Lose). There's a video of the Wood Brothers playing this track in a stairwell, that sounds better than most professional studio recordings I've hard recently(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYY1T7BYd9U). Oliver Wood's voice was so original and raw through the whole album, I was sold simply at that. Add in the vocal harmonies and the surging bass lines and the authenticity of the sound is stiking. But the subtle way the instruments compliment Olivers vocals is amazing. As simplistic as it can be at times (being that its so stripped down), I hear something different or new every time I listen to the album. There's a lot more there than I originally thought, and you can never take it all in at once (that's true of any album). It has great balance, and it didn't take any over-production to get there. And as much as I love the writing and fire that has returned to Bruce's writing on his new album, he should've taken a page out of the Wood Brothers book on recording and production. As Matt so poignantly put it, what business does Ron Aniello have producing a Bruce Album? For christs sake he did all the Lifehouse albums. Is something wrong with this picture (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Aniello)? But that's a whole other story, I can't even begin to dissect right now.

I don't care what you're used to listening to, give this a chance. If you don't take something out of it, I have to imagine you're void of any kind of musical emotionality. You see, contrary to the popular belief of much of our generation, all music does not have to get you out of your seat, fist-pumping. There's something to be said for this kind of music. The kind that has you tapping your foot, shaking your head, making faces that are some kind of cross between a pained smile and squint at the sun. Like I said, its as alive as you and I are, and if you see it live, it's literally sitting in the room, right next to you. It's tapping its foot, and nudging you with its elbow at the end of every song as if to say, "yea, that's what I'm talking about." 

For the New Yorkers with any interest, the Wood Brothers are playing tomorrow 3/20, at Bowery Ballroom, for less than $25. I have a good feeling about this one.  http://www.thewoodbrothers.com/