More Than I Can See
Yellowbird, 2020
8/10
Spearheaded by the multi-instrumentalist Charlotte Greve, the quartet Wood River offers us innovative, experimental pop sounds on More Than I Can See, where each track brings new identities, textures and ideas.
The album leads with “Future Fun”, where Greve’s expressive and soft vocals complement the quirky and soulful pop ideas, and “The Procrastinator” follows with skilled guitar work as the setting offers an atypical dance friendly atmosphere that’s not void of grooves.
Closer to the middle, “Pete Vinegar Likes It Sweet” floats with a hazy, yet elegant approach where Greve’s pipes soar as a saxophone helps set the mood, while “Shifter” finds a dreamy, trippy place to reside amid adventurous percussion.
Near the end, “Jammz” uses wordless vocals in the unconventional and irresistible track, and “Returners” ends the listen surreal, where a hypnotic ambience that’s pop friendly enters the equation.
The German songstress certainly defies classification here, as jazz, trance and dance traces linger throughout the record, where playfulness and dynamic interplay are never in short supply.
Travels well with: Grey McMurray- Stay Up; Colin Stetson- Hereditary