Water For Gasoline. Reb Fountain

With Water For Gasoline Reb Fountain turns over a new page in her career as singer-songwriter. In more than one way. The album is not only released through a new record label and the first recorded in her garage studio, but the music is also more down to earth. The movement towards change I noticed on her previous album, 'How Love Bends', has now reached completion. The result is an enigmatic album none the same.

Reb Fountain entered my life late in the fall of 2020 with a single and then her album 'Reb Fountain'. Just before or in the middle of another lockdown, who knows exactly today, the album was a great way to listen to together in our isolation. It was the almost magical, mystical atmosphere that caught me and my now wife. The album 'Iris' followed this up in an even better way. Being able to see Reb Fountain perform in Paradiso in Amsterdam was so special.

The subtle changes on 'How Live Bends' were "a shock" but things were alright quite soon and prepared me for Water For Gasoline. The change is mostly because of stripping away that mystical layer within her songs. Reb Fountain sings as she sings, that has not changed. The music around and behind her is somehow more direct, her voice this little more prominent in the whole. The approach makes the songs just this little more individual and the album as a result less "a whole".

Yes, this makes Water For Gasoline less unique, like 'Reb Fountain' and 'Iris' were in my ears. The new album can be compared to other singer-songwriters working on brink of folk, country and indie. I will let you pick your own favourite, mine remains Reg Fountain. She takes me by the hand and leads me through the album. The mid tempo brings the listener in a form of trance and in the right mood to become one with music and Reb Fountain's voice.

After getting more familiar with Water For Gasoline, a totally different comparison presented itself, Bob Dylan. Take the title song. Reb Fountain presents a long story, over the same chord progression with a hint of blues in it. In her own style she presents her story, in a way Dylan did in e.g. 'Hurricane' or 'Sara', to stick to 'Desire'. Repetition in such a way that the listener almost or even truly forgets it is that in the end.

With 'Good People', the only song she wrote with co-producer Dave Kahn, she makes a stand. "Good people, stare the fascists down" she sings. It looks like we will all be tested on this over the coming years, as fascism and nazism are making a comeback from the underground fast. It will take more than just staring down, I'm afraid, but I totally relate. On vocals she is assisted by Dianne Swann and Tami Neilsen.

'Good People' is a great example of how Reb Fountain's sound has changed, without losing her strengths. It makes Water For Gasoline an interesting, intriguing but above all good album, that I will want to listen to again and again.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

You can listen to and order Water For Gasoline here: 

https://rebfountain.bandcamp.com/album/water-for-gasoline