Southern Intentions
Self-Released, 2022
8/10
An indie-folk duo consisting of Joel Parks (vocals, guitar) and Becca Herrod (vocals, mandolin), as Wood Willow the pair bring both rawness and angst to their organic template that’s certainly steeped in Americana, but with some muscle behind it on this debut album.
“So Much Runnin’” starts the listen with the warm mandolin and thumping drums alongside the strong vocal harmonies of the rootsy rocker that’s got some bluegrass roots, and “No More Close To Heaven” follows with Herrod’s soaring, expressive pipes front and center in the gritty yet melodic display of timeless song craft and gospel nods.
“You’ve Got Me” lands in the middle, and recruits hypnotic acoustic guitar amid vivid storytelling as folk ideas enter the equation, while “Pour My Drink” offers a thicker display of hand clapping, sturdy rhythm and darker textures to populate the album’s best selection.
“Box O’ Wine” and “Tijuana” exit the listen, where the former showcases firm keys and skilled singing from both, and the latter is quite animated with an old time feel of lively and time honored songwriting.
A listen that is plucked precisely and quite a bit of fun to listen to, Wood Willow are off to an excellent start; in fact, any fan of anything resembling Americana should be quite enamored with these 10 tracks.
Travels well with: Pete Mancini- Killing The Old Ways; Dan Weber- The Way The River Goes