Review Summary: North Carolinians get increasingly cosmopolitan without losing sight of that Blue Moon of Kentucky.
Now on their fifth album, Chatham County Line have slowly but surely made the transition from old-time bluegrass revivalists to the type of band that could actually be deemed acceptable by the indie-rock masses, doing so without completely abandoning their roots, or really, without abandoning them at all. A cursory listen to their self-titled debut would probably find most "sophisticated" music snobs dismissing the band as a bunch of bumpkins (actual lyrics: "Bacon in the skillet, sweet taters in a pan, biscuits brownin' in the oven, eat 'em up while you can"), but on
Wildwood, the rustic hoedowns take a backseat to more refined fare. Their penchant for classic country arrangements hasn't gone anywhere, but if Mumford and Sons have proven anything in the last year, it's that banjos aren't automatically a hindrance to garnering wide-ranging appeal.
The opening title track is a fitting introduction to the album. The band's usual downhome acoustic accompaniment and absence of drums is still central to their sound, but it's fleshed-out more fully with the addition of piano. The vocal harmonies are also smooth and feathery, almost in a Fleet Foxes sort of way, as opposed to the "high lonesome sound" typically associated with traditional bluegrass. Similarly, on "Alone in New York" vocalist Dave Wilson works exclusively in a mid-range croon, avoiding altogether the sharp nasal whine of old. The song itself is no romp, and lyrically, it's a fitting statement for the album as a whole. When Wilson sings of "empty people's empty glances," it's a clear display of disaffection for city living, but he and his band seem changed just from having been there.
While there are still songs here for pure bluegrass fans (like "Heart Attack" and "Ghost of Woody Guthrie"), the album is surprisingly heavy with ballads and mid-tempo tunes, and is definitely better off for it. The laid-back, lazy-day vibe of "Saturdays and Sundays" befits its weekend title, and "Crop Comes In", which still sounds sparse despite the presence of lilting harmonica and pedal steel, is Chatham County Line at their most yearning. The record's penultimate track "Blue Jay Way" is the slowest of all, and perhaps the most capturing as well. All three cuts showcase the band's skill at crafting permeating melodies when slowing down the pace.
Wildwood is a strong release, one that demonstrates maturity and continued evolution. Still, it could end up placing Chatham County Line in a difficult middle ground, potentially alienating some old fans with their progression away from the traditional bluegrass sound while remaining too provincial to keep some listeners from filing them away as yokels. Hopefully, this isn't the case, as it establishes them as an intriguing and completely enjoyable band with an unwritten future that I, for one, am excited to hear.
