Customer Reviews

Firecracker

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Firecracker is the second full-length album from the Canadian trio The Wailin' Jennys. Their first, 40 Days, won a Juno (the Canadian equivalent of a Grammy) as roots and traditional album of the year, and set a very high standard. But Firecracker clearly escapes the sophomore jinx that so often afflicts second albums. How does it do it?

Maybe it's the result of the change in personnel -- alto Cara Luft left the group in late 2004 and Annabelle Chvostek joined soprano Ruth Moody and mezzo Nicky Mehta. Maybe it's the two years they've taken since the release of 40 Days. Maybe it's the hundreds of live shows they`ve done, including four guest appearances on A Prairie Home Companion in just seven months during 2005. Maybe it's the shift in musical focus -- gone are Luft's Celtic influenced songs; added is a more country flavor, enhanced by a talented array of backup musicians. But probably more than anything, Firecracker escapes the jinx because of what hasn't changed from 40 Days -- the beautifully composed, flawlessly executed, exquisitely gorgeous three-part close harmony.

Firecracker includes twelve original compositions with instrumental backup, plus one traditional song, Long Time Traveler, arranged by the Jennys and sung a cappella. Moody, Mehta and Chvostek each wrote four of the originals. Although each Jenny has a distinctive writing style, the songs work well together, and show a range of related influences, from alt-country, to contemporary folk, to Appalachian/roots. And although each Jenny has a very distinctive voice, and each sings lead on her own songs, the three voices blend together perfectly to produce their trademark harmonies.

Firecracker should win the Jennys many new fans. And for those lucky enough to see the trio live, it's an experience not soon forgotten. With gentle humor and multi-instrumental virtuosity, the Jennys quickly win over audiences. But the most striking thing, of course, is their distinctively lush harmony. It's just as flawless in their live shows, demonstrating that their sublime sound has nothing to do with studio wizardry, and everything to do with talent, lots of hard work, and an obvious passion for their music and their performances.

The third recording from the amazing Wailin' Jennys is a real corker. It's hard to imagine a more beautiful album will be released this year. Following their first indie release and 2004's gorgeous 40 DAYS, FIRECRACKER is even better. While many are focusing this year on the nice vocalizing of the magisterial Emmylou Harris and the quite different Mark Knopfler on their album of duets, ALL THE ROADRUNNING, FIRECRACKER may get much less attention than it deserves. You won't hear more exhilarating harmony work than that of the Jennys in this new cd.

Ruth Moody--of the sweetest soprano and a folkie bent--and Nicky Mehta--with a poignant mezzo voice and an otherworldly outlook--join their newest member, Annabelle Chvostek--who has her own beautiful alto and a nice edgy sensibility. Annabelle replaces Cara Luft in the trio and brings something wonderful to their already impressive musicianship. They all play acoustic instruments with great skill: Ruth--the accordion and banjo, Nicky--the harmonica and guitar, and Annabelle--a great mandolin and violin. As in their previous recordings, each of the Jenny's manage to retain their own sound and songwriting style while forging an unmistakable "Jennys sound" that is intoxicating.

"Home" is the recurring image and theme of FIRECRACKER. Nine of the 13 songs directly address this:

--"leave the dream of hearth and home"
--"in a better home soon I will reside."
--"a place to call your own, to call your home."
--"take me back to my beginning...take me home."
--"follow heart, follow home...one round heart, one round home."
--"now the coldest day of winter has made a home of my heart."
--"my soul now seeks another home"
--"looking for a place to find some rest"
--"you set your sights a homeward."

Loving the singing and writing of Ruth, Nicky and Annabelle, it's hard to single out particular cuts in this uniformly superb production. I was, however, struck by the particular poignancy of Nicky's songs ("Begin"--listen to the way she stretches her deliver of "let go," "Starlight"--the affecting mantra of "take me home...take me home," and "Avila"--a sweet and simple a capella number of exquisite harmony) and the exhilaration of Annabelle's ("The Devil's Paintbrush Road," "Swallow," "Apocalypse Lullaby," and the great title tune, "Firecracker"). Ruth Moody, too, continues to compose and deliver songs right from the heart.

Take yourself a homeward and listen.

It's hard to review this album and not use the word 'beautiful' repeatedly. I've listened to it about a million times since I bought it and often wake up with its melodies and lyrics in my head - a pretty nice way to start the day.

Firecracker is the Jennys first album with new member Annabelle Chvostek, who seems to have slotted into the trio seamlessly while bringing her own distinctive vocal style and instrumental range. The feel of this album is slightly different from 40 Days in a way that's hard to pinpoint. That difference owes much to the new dynamic created by Annabelle's presence and Cara Luft's absence. It's a progression but not a departure.

One thing, however, remains the same - those gorgeous harmonies wrapped around lyrics that are haunting, poignant, passionate, wistful, sad, hopeful and endlessly evocative. I defy anyone with an ounce of humanity not to be moved by these beautiful songs.

Stand out tracks for me include Nicky Mehta's 'Begin', Ruth Moody's 'Prairie Town' and Annabelle's 'Apocalypse Lullaby'. But it's all good. Actually, it's all great. I love it to death.

Usually, when I purchase a CD, there are a couple of songs that I skip whenever I listen to it. Not this one. Every single song is highly enjoyable. Lovely lyrics, beautiful harmony vocals, quality musicianship -- Firecracker has it all.

I purchased this CD after seeing the Wailin' Jennys on Prairie Home Companion and after reading the excellent reviews on Amazon. I must add my whole-hearted praise for this CD. Every track is amazing and the harmony is flawless. On some of the more poignant songs the harmony is so perfect that it's impossible not to be moved emotionally.

The thing that most impressed me about this trio, however, was the pure devotion they have for their craft. Absent are the crass commercialism and arrogance of the Dixie Chicks. On every track you can almost feel the love and gratefulness these girls have for their talents and their songs. Self-penned by the Wailin' Jennys themselves, their songs reflect their innermost beings and the soft passion of those innermost thoughts are treated reverently with their individual voices and their harmonies.

I cannot recommend this CD enough. It's a mellow delight for those of us who still want our music to be pure and sung simply for the delight of it.

Heard the "Jennys" when Prairie Home Companion was broadcast live from Boston just the other night. Their harmonies and delivery are very impressive. While these girls don't have the edge that Amazon's reviewers thought I'd appreciate, I very much enjoy the harmony and their lyrics do not at all lend to easy listening.

Like many, I was exposed to the Wailin' Jennys through a chance encounter....I was channel surfing and heard them on a televised version of "A Prairie Home Companion."

I am generally not an alt. country, nor much of a folk fan either, but the quality of the harmonies, and some of the lyrics are quite beautiful.

My personal favorites are "The Devil's Paintbrush Road" and "starlight." One song is quite fun, one is almost heart rending in its plaintiveness.

As the year turns colder, and darker...do yourself a favor and pick this album up. It will bring a real warmth to wherever you're listening to the tracks.

I'm like the reviewer below who was listening to A Prairie Home Companion when I heard the Wailin' Jenny's for the first time, sing their song "Swallow". Beautiful! At times the Wailin' Jennys' style reminds me of the soundtrack to "O Brother Where Art Thou," blended with a bit of Sarah Harmer, another excellent Canadian folk singer, with just a touch of the harmonies and musical talent of the new Dixie Chicks. Their sound is homegrown, grassroots, clear and sublime - perfect for a sunny Sunday morning or a walk around the park!

As good as 40 Days and I am VERY glad I got this CD. I love all types of music and have a very wide selection. The voices and music are balanced and very enjoyable. I found the Wallin' Jennys on Prairie Home and could not wait to get their music...I did wait and wish I hadn't. Am waiting for another CD to come out from them, I will get as many as they put out.

In my never ending quest to 'discover' music that I enjoy, I often turn to the 'folksy-rootsy' sounds of North America (and, to a lesser extent, the UK/Ireland) - sounds in which I can seek temporary refuge from the unrelenting media bombardment with what passes for popular music these days. I accept that this type of music will not appeal to everyone, but it is music which I enjoy very much (providing it is done well - and it certainly is on this album). To me, this album is an excellent example of how a contemporary presentation works well with music and songs having a more traditional folk sensibility. A few songs have a country feel to them, but it is music far removed from the country music of Nashville - this can be over-produced and formulaic (but, of course, not always); and a few other songs are simply 'quality' pop songs. I'd describe the songs as 'pretty and not gritty'. Each of the Jennys are fine songwriters in their own right and, because you have three songwriters, you get a variety of styles. Also, there is a good balance between slow, mid and up-tempo songs.

The mood of the album is difficult to describe. A common theme is one which views life's 'ups and downs' as a journey, and a journey which takes it's toll. Yet, there is always an end to this journey - at which point the 'traveller' can rest (whether this rest is provided by the stability of 'home' or the inevitability of that 'final resting place'). So, the music is tinged with both melancholy and optimism, and this gives many of the songs a bittersweet quality.

Each songwriter takes the lead vocals on her own song and, because each Jenny has a different vocal range - soprano (Ruth Moody), mezzo (Nicky Mehta) and alto (Annabelle Chvostek), this presents further variety for the listener. Perhaps the most striking thing about the vocals is the very tight and smooth harmonies (which, to a greater or lesser degree, feature on all tracks). These are some of the best harmony vocals I have ever heard in my 40 odd years of listening to popular music, they are just 'of another world' - they really are! Also, what I particularly liked about the vocals is the fact that there is nothing mannered or pretentious about how the Jennys sing.

The playing is highly accomplished (at least, that's how it sounds to me). Each of the Jennys is a versatile instrumentalist - acoustic guitar, banjo, violin, mandolin, harmonica, accordion; and the session musicians (who might not be that well known) sure know how to play. The production (David Travers-Smith) is first class, the album is neither over-produced nor under-produced - the sound is just 'spot on'; you can hear, with clarity, all of the vocal and instrumental components of the music, and they don't 'get in each others way'.

I liked all tracks - some comments about a selection of these (songwriters in brackets) :

GLORY BOUND (Ruth Moody) - Initially this song has quite a sparse sound - just Ruth's solo vocals and some restrained banjo/violin accompaniment, the sound becomes 'fuller' as the song progresses. I wouldn't say that this is gospel music (the lyrics are too introspective and the tempo is too slow). However, the lyrics contain words and phrases which are metaphors for religious experiences - this, together with the chorus 'Hallelujah' (sung in close harmony), gives a definite gospel 'feel'.

STARLIGHT (Nicky Mehta) - As with 'Glory Bound', the song starts quietly with some delicate banjo and violin. After about one and a half minutes, the tempo picks up and, also, percussion is introduced. I thought the violin and viola solos gave the song a slight Gaelic flavour. Additionally, there are some stunning harmony vocals on this track.

LONG TIME TRAVELLER (A Cappella)(Trad. arr. The Wailin' Jennys) - The shortest track at 2:10. I'm not familiar with the song, but it sounds as if the original may have been a Scottish air (comments welcome). This track is the absolute epitome of vocal harmony bliss - gorgeous.

AVILA (Nicky Mehta) - A slow to mid-tempo song which, yet again, seems to have a Scottish influence. I think this song evokes a similar mood to that of 'Glory Bound'. There is no banjo or violin here - the accompaniment is provided by various acoustic and electric guitars. There are two 'rootsy' electric guitar solos of about half a minute each and they send shivers along my spine.

PRAIRIE TOWN (Ruth Moody) - A slow tempo atmospheric song with some wonderfully mellow acoustic guitar/ National guitar playing - a very relaxing sound.

FIRECRACKER (Annabelle Chvostek) - Another slow tempo song - quite a 'laid back' sound featuring mandolin and acoustic guitar accompaniment. Annabelle's alto voice has an almost sultry edge to it - something you don't get when Nicky and Ruth take the lead vocals.


If you like popular music with a 'neo-traditional' folk sound and/or superb harmony vocals, then you ought to give this one a listen - you don't know what you are missing! This is the sort of popular music that makes me want to chuck my modest hi-fi set-up straight into the bin, and replace it with some high-end audiophile stuff - trouble is, I can't afford it (but I can dream). Sheer, unadulterated quality from a very talented band and session musicians. If you get the feeling that I rather enjoyed this album, you'd be dead right - 5 stars (minimum).

I've almost 'saved up enough pennies', so I will be ordering '40 Days' very soon - I've heard the samples, so I don't think I will be too disappointed.