Review Summary: Oh but the highway knows how it feels
As the sailboat departed from Charleston Harbor, the caressing zephyr merrily carried away the stress and worries of my every day. The blissful mist of water that would occasionally grace my arms was more than enough to wash away any negative thoughts. I pulled a cold beer from the cooler besides me as I conversed with the captain of the ship and my future wife to be. As the conversation elevated past the usual greetings and tourist-oriented questions the captain spoke of the path life had taken him on before he became his own boss as a captain of his privately-owned sailboat. He was in his early 30's if I had to guess and had already figured out a way to leave the harrowing stresses of his finance job, from which he had been let go from without warning. He was given a choice in that moment, one I'm sure many have or surely will at some point in life, what am I doing and where do I want to be?
If there's one thing I've learned to embrace, it's the push and pull that we all face on our own path. We can reflect on the memories of our life, prepare for the future or just live in the moment. However, life is an unpredictable series of events and your road will range from smooth and paved to rough and bumpy at a moment's notice. 140 Nickels embraces the ups and downs but continues to carry a carefree and soulful attitude throughout its entirety.
The carefree southern mentality shines through Jangling Sparrows' Americana infused blend of country and alternative rock. Paul Edelman, the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter of the band shares a charisma and charm that bleeds into every song written here. He is the captain of this heartfelt and endearing journey and his passionate country encrusted vocals range from crooning soulful ballads to catchy upbeat chorus driven anthems. "Take Home Your Coat" is a fervent display of melodic guitar playing with tinges of zydeco that meld perfectly with the emotional intensity of this ballad. Whereas tracks like "Look Away Twice" beam with bright guitar melodies that break into classic rock driven solos accompanied by trills of piano, mellow bass grooves and again utilizing the zydeco. We even get moments like "Cheaper Down the Road" which boast segments of speedy guitar riffs, spastic solo and bumping bass rhythms.
There's no question there's a clear mastery of musicianship on display no matter what track you're hearing. Paul's proficient use of country driven guitar riffs, melodies, solos, and acoustic strumming, Robert's bouncy basslines, Joe's spastic and at times laid back style of drum playing and the additional instrumentation brought into tracks help to add more spice to the album. In doing so, Jangling Sparrows give the listener plenty of elements to notice on each track. There's a nice variety of tracks at work here which helps to keep the experience enticing and unexpected as it progresses.
Much like riding a sailboat, 140 Nickels breezes by with energy, soul and in a generally upbeat manner. Sometimes you will feel a gentle wind pass you by or a sudden gust may just sweep you away to places you never expected to go. The journey, much like life's journey, is nevertheless one worth taking and holds a fair bit of promise for the future of the band.
