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Something I Said/Review of The Wailin Jennys, Heather Masse and Ruth Moody

Something I Said/Wailin' Jennys

Twin Cities Daily Planet

Dwight Hobbes

Fans of premier folksters the Wailin' Jennys, even those unable to catch the 2010 tour, have been having themselves a real field day. Over the past year, the group has put out three excellent albums on St. Paul's Red House Records. There's been Live at the Mauch Chunk Opera House by the trio and, also from Red House, a pair of solo turns, Heather Masse's Bird Song and Ruth Moody's The Garden.

It's a delight, actually striking, to encounter on Live at the Mauch Chunk Opera House performances that, incredibly enough, are richer still than the studio albums for which the Wailin' Jennys are internationally lauded. There are 14 songs, eight of them new, all featuring golden-throated fare.

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There are powerful lead vocals by each of the members (Nicky Mehta, mezzo; Heather Masse, alto; Ruth Moody, soprano) and marvelous harmonies. The energy, whether uptempo like the bright Emmylou Harris cover "Deeper Well" or their beautifully somber take on the traditional "Bold Riley" makes for in-concert artistry at its essential best—singing and playing that compel with fresh, sustained immediacy. A standout is Nicky Mehta's "Arlington." She brilliantly emotes with unerring precision to deliver soul-deep angst, stark passion. On the instruments are Mehta (guitar, drums, harmonica, ukulele), Ruth Moody (guitar, banjo, accordion, bodhrán), and Masse (bass) joined by usual accompanist Jeremy Penner (violin, mandolin). If you're not particularly fond of a cappella, numbers like Leadbelly's "Bring Me Li'l Water, Silvy" and Masse's "Paint A Picture" may not be quite your cup of tea. On the other hand, give a listen. You just might decide to grow a bit fond of a cappella.

The Garden begins as a rustic gem, barebones parts with Ruth Moody trusting to sparse arrangements of original material ("The Garden," "Cold Outside). It's a disarming set-up, listening to her sketch melodies and textures culled from rural Americana; and it makes for a fascinating transition as she shifts to fleshed-out renderings with drums, bass, guitar and other accompaniment, strengthening the sound while softening the edge on her voice. The catalyst and hands-down show-stopper is "Travelin' Shoes," a spirited, bittersweet ballad about friendship, love, and wanderlust.

Heather Masse solidly acquits herself as a country-blues siren of the first order with Bird Song. Smooth as can be and locked in the pocket, it serves up one air-tight offering after another. For a hilarious hoot with an undercurrent of slick, sweet seduction you can't beat "Mitten." Not with a stick. It's one of those sly, chuckalious tunes you can't wait to have your friends listen to. Especially after they've had a few.

Copyright:
©2010 Dwight Hobbes

About the Author

Coming: "Angels Don't Really Fly" EP by Dwight Hobbes & The All-Star Hired Guns featuring Alicia Wiley. The crew: Me, Alicia Wiley, Stanley Kipper, Chico Perez, Jeff "Boday" Christensen, Aaron "Orange A.C." Cosgrove and Yohannes Tona. Singer-songwriter Dwight Hobbes recorded the single "Atlanta Children" (BeatBad Records) and gigged 10 years in the Long Island/NYC area, including The Other End, Kenny's Castaways and My Fathers Place. Fronted the Boston blues band Midlight. In Minneapolis, Hobbes opened for David Daniels at First Street Entry, James Curry at Terminal Bar, sat in with Yohannes Tona, Alicia Wiley at Sol Testimony's Soul Jam, The New Congress at Babalu, Willie Murphy at the Viking Bar and Wain McFarlane & Jahz at Lucille's Kitchen. Dwight Hobbes still drops in at the occasional open mic around town. Dwight Hobbes has written for ESSENCE, Reader's Digest, Washington Post, Minneapolis Star Tribune, St. Paul Pioneer Press, City Pages, Mpls/St. Paul, MN Law & Politics, Pulse of the Twin Cities, Twin Cities Daily Planet, Women & Word, San Diego Union-Tribune, The Circle, to Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder (where he contributes the commentary columns Hobbes In The House and Something I Said. He's spoken his mind over National Public Radio, Minnesota Public Radio and KMOJ in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Was regularly featured as guest commentator on NewsNight Minnesota (KTCA-Minneapolis/St. Paul) and Spectator (Minneapolis Television Network). His monthly column "Hobbes In The House" in MN Spokesman Recorder comments on domestic abuse and rape. His plays are Shelter - produced at Mixed Blood Theatre by Pangea World Theater, Dues - produced by Mixed Blood Theatre, University of Southern Illinois in Point of Revue, selected for Bedlam Theatre's 10-Minute Play Festival and published by Playscripts, Inc. You Can't Always Sometimes Never Tell - produced by Theater Center Philadelphia, Long Island University, reading at The Kennedy Center and published in the anthology CENTER STAGE, In the Midst - produced by Long Island University, starring Samuel E. Wright. Hobbes spoke on the panel "Farewell To August Wilson" at the Guthrie Theater, broadcast on Conversations With Al McFarlane (KFAI, KMOJ). Twin Cities Daily Planet articles archived at www.tcdailyplanet.net/dwighthobbes

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