Review Summary: Downtempo folk in an age of sensory overload.
The first intonations on
Wildcat Chuck Charles, the new EP from journeyman folk artist Charles Ellsworth, paint a vivid mood from the outset. Telling tales of starless winter nights, the windswept Carolinas, and liquor to numb the pain, “A Packed Suitcase” hews close to folk tradition, with its theme of traveling across the country to escape some inner turmoil. Yet Ellsworth’s distinctive tone manages to bring the song, as well as the EP’s other three tracks, a feel all their own.
Ellsworth’s world-weary baritone is a sort of devil’s brew of The National’s Matt Berninger crossed with Marcus Mumford. His timeless-sounding voice adds hints at experience beyond his years, and helps lend the tracks an air of gravitas that bolsters their ability to stand out amidst of a glut of similar contemporary folk singers. However, that is not to say that the songs themselves would be unimpressive without Ellsworth’s voice - to the contrary, his songwriting consistently excels throughout, generally working in dark hues that are well suited to his vocal talents. Clever lyrical turns abound, as Ellsworth seems to paint himself as a sort of wise sage of the road:
“Well I heard a man say
That life was just pain
So I pulled back the hammer
And I blew him away
I left the room before the rattle was heard
I couldn’t help but think that he got what he deserved”
- “Arizona Pines”
While Ellsworth tends to generally stick in one musical lane, he knows where his strengths lie and focuses on honing them throughout the brief runtime of
Wildcat Chuck Charles. The fact that the listener is left wanting more is a testament to his ability to craft meaningful, well-rounded folk songs that simultaneously feel timeless and very much of our time. In our modern culture of instant gratification and short attention spans, we could use more voices like those of Charles Ellsworth, a man who has no qualms about using slow buildups and subtle inflections to make an impact. One hopes he will win over many more converts who are willing to slow down with him.
