Album: Wooden Birds / Magnolia

Artist: The Wooden Birds

Album: Magnolia

A new project from Andrew Kenny (ex of the now-defunct, much missed, American Analog Set) is going to be heard by any fan of that band (and I am one) in the context of that body of music. While one can certainly discern the same songwriter's hand, we have a different musical palette here — sparer, leaner — with the songs centred on acoustic guit and vox. There are other sounds colouring in around those, including some bass, a bit of percussion, some female backing vox, but they're very much supporting elements. It's tempting to hear some of these tunes as what could have been potential AmAnSet demos, and, while a song like "Quit You Once" sounds, at its outset, like it could have taken its place in the discography, one is left feeling that the key difference here is that without the warm drone of AmAnSet's keybs, there isn't a higher gear for these tunes to kick into. Which can feel mildly frustrating and confining, but taken at their own face value and within their own sound-world, these songs feel just fine. The quiet percussive thwack of the guit playing can get a bit samey at times, but this is a low-key pleasure. Suitable for drowsy days.

Track pick: 1 - "False Alarm"