When it comes to the Americana label, I tend to agree with Tyler Childers’ recent assessment calling it essentially worthless. The term is at best imprecise and, at its worst, often meant to shove artists off the country charts and into obscurity. In some ways it’s like asking someone to define fusion food as it only begs more questions – a fusion of what?
So with that in mind, what exactly constitutes true Americana, and not just Nashville trying to clear country radio airtime for the next smoothbrain iteration of Morgan Wallen by labeling underground country acts as Americana? Well for me the answer is simple: Americana is The Devil Makes Three.
For more than two decades, the Santa Cruz trio has been mining the rich tapestry of American music from roots to bluegrass and country to churn out a wholly unique sound that at once seems tailormade for gritty college string bands and Tiny Desk concerts alike.
It’s a balancing act the group has never truly abandoned, or perhaps escaped. For all their efforts, The Devil Makes Three has never managed to fully pierce into the mainstream music consciousness. But if you ask any guitarist at any open mic or jam circle across the country, there’s a good chance they’ll know a handful of their songs, even if it’s just ‘Old Number Seven.’
It’s with this respectable tenure viewed both in the rearview mirror and out the front windshield that The Devil Makes Three released their most recent offering “Spirits.” After taking the longest break of their career, thanks in part to Covid, the band seemed intent on recapturing some of that barroom smoke showcased on their earliest releases, mixed with the polish of their somewhat less stellar latter-day releases.
Time has certainly mellowed out the harsh vapors of their younger years, letting the band revisit their early musical haunts with more perspective and grace. The first track on the album, ‘Lights on Me,’ expertly showcases this old-meets-new blend with some classic The Devil Makes Three stomp blended with a measured delivery.
The fire is still burning though, and erupts at times from a smouldering blaze to searing frustration on tracks like ‘Hard Times’ as the trio explores economic inequality and the rigged game of capitalism, or the alcohol-drenched surfy croonings on the album’s title track. It’s also nice hearing that they’re still writing songs about self-consciously imbibing various drugs without coming across like they have something to prove. Longtime fans will feel right at home listening to the energetic ‘The Devil Wins’ while recent converts can find solace in the glossy ‘Ghosts are Weak.’
At the same time “Spirits” is a marked departure from the narcotic and at times too-smooth grooves of their recent outings. While still polished, their previous couple albums could easily slip into mediocrity or feel like they were dragging along on autopilot while punctuated by spurts of brilliance. Not so here. Every track feels as though it was crafted with searing intent. Maybe the extra time between releases allowed the band to really delve into the songwriting.
Added to that cannon on this album are several reflections on aging woven throughout, like on ‘Half as High’ which finds the band bemoaning feeling less despite doing (or ingesting) more, of the numbing effects that growing older brings. But the most poignant song on the album is the closer ‘Holding On’ which finds Pete Bernhard ruminating on loss, penning one hell of a heartfelt chorus:
“Oh, someday everything I love will be gone
I don't believe in chance
I don't believe in fate
I just believe in holding on.”
These insights feel hard-earned and authentic, just like everything else in this album. It effortlessly blends together old-time, bluegrass, blues and country into one hell of a stew. And while it doesn’t reach the same highs as their first three albums, it doesn’t hit the same middling plateaus as their most recent records.
“Spirits” seems to find The Devil Makes Three fully embracing their age, and status in the underground, and this album is all the stronger for it. It marks a return to form, incorporating elements from their entire career, while feeling like a reset and a new beginning. It’s an intriguing and worthy entry into their discography and I’m hoping for another quarter century of tunes from this veteran trio.
