Bowerbirds - Upper Air (2009)

This folk trio was cited as one of John Darnielle’s (Mountain Goats) favorite bands. Most dominant on their recordings, of which this is their second full length, is the acoustic guitar, which is so high in the mix that every strum commands a lot of attention. Aside from that, wonderful vocal harmonies can be heard throughout, notably on songs like “Teeth,” “Ghost Life,” and “Chimes.” All three members play percussion. This gives them the illusion of intimacy as apparent interconnectedness of musicians is more often an asset than not. I imagine it makes the live show interesting as well. Aside from their drummer, the band consists of a male vocalist who also plays the acoustic guitar and hi-hat cymbal, and a female vocalist ho plays the accordion and a bass drum. Obviously the album is very percussive; see the end of “Silver Clouds” for an example. You can almost tell there’s more than one drummer playing. This could potentially make for some very interesting recordings; with three separate minds playing the same instrument there’s more opportunity for diversity. I don’t know how this could play out, but it’s something to think about. The decision to divide the drums amongst three people must have been made for a reason; I wonder what it is. The accordion is a nice touch as well, lending texture to their already very intricate and dense music. The vocals, especially the male ones, are quite soulful, and the gorgeous acoustic guitar and accordion (sometimes I think I hear keys too) add to this. “Northern Lights” is an especially beautiful song.

1. House Of Diamonds (2:58)
2. Teeth (4:10)
3. Silver Clouds (4:30)
4. Beneath Your Tree (3:40)
5. Ghost Life (5:24)
6. Northern Lights (2:54)
7. Chimes (4:18)
8. Bright Future (4:01)
9. Crooked Lust (4:04)
10. This Day (3:08)