A Perennial Favorite Already
J. Weber | Washington State USA | 04/30/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Ruth Moody is best known as a founding member of The Wailin' Jennys, the folk/roots supergroup and frequent Prairie Home Companion guests renowned for their lush harmonies and their amazingly tight live performances. Moody's clear, high soprano voice and skillful arrangements are an integral part of the Jennys' distinctive sound. Her original songs play a major role in the group's repertoire, and include the Jennys' iconic anthem, "One Voice."
So while The Garden differs somewhat in style from the Jennys' music, it's no surprise that the solo album combines gorgeous vocals, memorable melodies and thoughtful lyrics, with wonderfully diverse arrangements that range from full backup by Crooked Still and a bevy of other great musicians, to harmonies with her fellow-Jennys and others, to the starkly simple beauty of Moody's voice with just an acoustic guitar.
The Garden is Moody's first solo recording since her 2002 EP, Blue Muse, a little gem with five outstanding original songs including a breathtaking solo a cappella piece that very few other singers could pull off. Blue Muse, which is available only at Wailin' Jennys concerts and through Moody's website, sticks closely to the Jennys' musical style, particularly that of their early years. The Garden, in contrast, shows how Moody's songwriting has expanded in scope over the eight years since her earlier solo recording, as well has how her voice has matured.
The songs on The Garden tend more toward pop than those on Blue Muse and the Jennys' albums, and to varying degrees blend neo-traditional folk/roots, pop, and country genres in a way that's hard to classify. It has banjo but it isn't bluegrass. It's mostly acoustic, but incorporates beautifully mellow electric and pedal steel guitars and synth. It often has an old-time feel, and includes two waltzes, but all of the songs are brand new originals written (or in one case, co-written) by Moody. But frankly, who cares how to classify it when it sounds so good? The Garden is destined to stay planted in my CD player for a long, long time.
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