Stops Time
Down Home Dive, 2021
8/10
This is the 3rd release from Brooksie Wells, and the isolation that comes with the pandemic means that she brings a healthy amount of reflection with her and soundtracks it with intricate finger picking, cozy vocals and acoustic based song craft.
“Three Songs From Home” gets the listen off to a warm and genuine start with Bruce Brown’s dobro and mandolin adding even more beauty to the harmonic landscape, and “Sometimes” follows with Polly Launay handling fiddle amid a haunting melody as Wells’ expressive pipes make a big impression.
In the middle, “Early Morning Rain” benefits from Gary Gordon’s rhythm guitar and Ross Sermons’ bass as much intimacy enters the Gordon Lightfoot cover, while “Tend The Nets” flows with a gentle but agile quality where Monty Jackson’s harmony vocals are nothing short of sublime. “I’m A Believer”, another exceptional cover, then recruits Mark Stoffel on mandolin for a charming mid-tempo version that ranks up there as one of the best interpretations the song has seen.
“Talk To You” then focuses on guitars in the upbeat climate that displays skilled soloing from Bruce Brown, and “Thinkin’ About Fame” exits the listen with dobro, mandolin, guitars and bass complementing Wells’ cautious reflection.
Certainly rooted in southern sounds, Wells and company pen a rootsy, Americana and folk spirited listen that clearly a lot of care went into, and the listener will certainly absorb the stories with equal attention and appreciation of the pensive execution.
Travels well with: Carole Wise- The Long Way Home; Josie Bello- Have Purpose Live Long