Clearly not content with the Americana status quo, Washington-based outfit The Woodshedders have released “O Dig”, an album that highlights the hitherto unrealised pliability of modern Americana music. With influences stretching as far from traditional music as hip-hop, this album is not so much a throwback as a strange dalliance that results in attractive offspring – in this case, the songs. Purists might scratch their heads, but this is modern roots music par excellence.
“Badger Blood” is a fairly middling old-time country song so the hot jazz of “Narwhal” (named for the peculiar Arctic ocean-dwelling sea creature) comes as quite a surprise. After just two songs, we are given good reason to believe that this album is going to require your full attention.
In much the same way as the folksy retellings of the life and times of countless heroes of the Wild West, “Viper James” takes no prisoners as it speaks of “making little trees into little clouds”. Perhaps surprisingly, “Virginia’s Fair Daughter” advises that the group are also willing to lessen the tempo on occasion. Complete with well-worked harmonies, this lament of times misspent introduces a hitherto untapped vein of sentiment to their sound. However, “Sand Grain” quickly spills a few beer glasses and threatens to erupt into a full-scale brawl.
“Swallow Wings” is a ballad that utilises the delightful guest vocals of Aimee Curl and Morgan Morrison. However, all that came before is built towards “Chicken to Change”. In a particularly daring attempt at merging roots music with rap, frontman Dwayne seems almost too articulate as he scatters words across the room. It shouldn’t work, you might say, but it does.
It’s fair to say that “O Dig” is not your average album of roots music. The band are musically assiduous throughout but it seems that a distaste for regularity will only serve this act well in times to come. “O Dig” is a fine antidote to the pedants that would keep folk music in the dark ages.
Available from CD Baby.