The Jacket. Widowspeak

In darker times everything seems darker and so it is with Widowspeak's new album, The Jacket. The album's first song's intro sounds extremely playful. The swirling sounds imply a festive circumstance, were it not that the mood 'While You Wait' shares with its listeners, is the opposite of festive. To describe that mood I can't make up my mind between a passive resignation and a spark of joy in the midst of sheer darkness. All the while the swirling sound is like a vortex sucking everything down. And yet, 'While You Wait' is so incredibly beautiful. The singing, the sound, the swirling, it all makes for a grand opening.

Widowspeak is a duo based in Brooklyn, NYC. Molly Hamilton sings and plays rhythm guitar and Robert Earl Thomas is the lead guitarist. J.D. Sumner is on bass, Michael Spasiak on drums, while everything with keys was played by Michael Hess. The previous album, 'Plum', was my introduction to Widowspeak and to this blog. 'Everything Is Simple' was a single that found its way to the singles section. The Jacket is the band's sixth album.

The Jacket is an album that needs to be played at a certain volume. Not necessarily loud, but loud enough to make all the details come out. The clearness of the recording and mix starts coming out when the volume is up a little. Hamilton's voice, with a nice echo on it, comes across so much better this way and the same goes for the individual instruments. They all have a clear spot in the mix.

Promo photo: Alexa Viscius

Musically there is a connection with dreampop, because of the dreamy way Molly Hamilton sings. Always with a sweet, melancholy, dreamy quality. Although I was not a fan of Mazzy Star at the time, fans should find something worth their while here. Underneath it all is the band of indierock bands, The Velvet Underground. Over 55 years since its debut album was released, the band still inspires young musicians. In sound, in the style of singing and guitar playing. Lou Reed and Sterling Morrison in this case. John Cale is nowhere in sight.

It is a fair point to state that The Jacket is a uniform album. Do not expect a lot of radical changes or dynamics on it. Instead be on the look out for nuances. Go with that flow and there's so much to enjoy. Robert Earl Thomas finds some dark notes for each song. Because of the often dark notes it's impossible to write they make a song shine or sparkle. So what is the right word to use here? Listen to the title song and help me here. One thing is for certain, 'The Jacket' makes you feel totally alive. The slowly driving rhythm, the subtle rhythm guitar, a dirty little organ and that lead guitar. Impressive the song is.

Can music that sounds somewhat downcast make someone happy? I can only speak for myself. My answer is, yes, it can. With it's clear sound, the album, when all is said and done, is able to split the sky in two during the most overcast of days and let the sun shine in, abundantly.

Wout de Natris