Search - The Wrenfields :: Seconds

The album smoulders away to start, the songs are solid enough, â??I felt Rainâ?? three tracks in holds the country influence deeper into its heart after the country rock of â??Every Know and Thenâ?? and â??We Must say Goodbyeâ?? but it is â??Carry me Awayâ?? that really sets the album alight. A wonderfully soaring country rock track with equal measures of everything that you would want or come to expect from a great song! Starting with a gently strummed resonator guitar, some cool and tender electric piano blends in before the song bursts like a firework into a gorgeously harmonised display of beautyâ?¦stunning. â??Souvenir Smileâ?? is up there with it as one of the top songs on the album, a powerful half ballad, with a tip in the direction of the Byrds, and Roger McGuinn's twelve string jangle. The guitar solo here is another example of the fine playing of Tom Morgan backed by Matt Oâ??Bryanâ??s acoustic embellishment. Novrocki has a really warm and (dare I say! it) sexy voice which gives the band depth and variety, especially when she gets to take to lead on tracks like the uplifting â??Gonna be Happyâ??- a real touch of summer for these cold Winter evenings. Pyro can really turn on the rock â??nâ?? roll raunch when called for, â??Lovesickâ?? for example lets him rattle the vocal chords with a real slice of Stonesy riff 'n' roll to spur him on and â??Worthlessâ?? supplies more of the same spirited attack. One track that may garner some attention is the 9/11 song â??Patriots Dayâ?? which may generate some criticism of jingoism with its obvious â??up and at â??emâ?? attitude: â??The sleepinâ?? giant wakes again The sleepinâ?? giant wakes again The sleepinâ?? giant wakes again Theyâ??d better run, theyâ??d better hideâ?? ...Which is maybe not the subtlest reaction recorded post tragedy, but it is a point that echoes the sentiments of many and it is a very powerfully made statement, so I will leave that one up to the individual to decide upon. As a whole though this album is just a simple joy to experience and this one song, which I feel sits rather uncomfortably with the other ten on the album, should not be a deterrent for would-be buyers, just skip forward to something like â??Mother Nature Girlâ?? and more of Noreen Novrockiâ??s soaring vocals and things just fall back into place. As a musician, if I could get to play in my ideal alt.country band, this is the kind of music I would love to play. There is a just enough twang and some great country edged rock. On the performance front, the guitar playing, rhythm section and vocals are gutsy but thoughtfully put together. The up tempo numbers are effervescent and captivating, full of energy with a solid rock resonance, especially when Pyro sets his vocals free and gives it some! Noreenâ??s (I feel weâ??re ready for first name terms, the amount of airplay I have given this) vocals are delightful, adding sparkle to an already luminous production. A thoroughly enjoyable album, warm and inviting, with lots of energy and one well worth tracking down. - Doug Floyd - AltCountryTab.com