Ghost Stories
Red House, 2022
9/10
The sisters Bonnie and Eleanor Whitmore have quite accomplished careers under their belts, and here they pen their first album together, where themes of loss of family, friends, ex-boyfriends and police violence are fleshed out with the help of Chris Masterson, Jamie Douglass and many more.
“Learn To Fly” opens the listen with a very warm, rich version of Americana, where the siblings harmonize with much beauty amid the mandolin, mellotron and Chris Masterson’s electric guitar, and “The Ballad Of Sissy & Porter” follows with Eleanor’s fiddle and Tyler Chester’s organ making for an upbeat take on country-rock.
Deeper into the listen, “Superficial World Of Love” showcases Eleanor’s piano prowess alongside Bonnie’s well done bass in the emotive balladry, while “Big Heart Sick Mind”, an Aaron Lee Tasjan song, is a loud and playful album highlight that comes with hand clapping, thumping drums from Douglass and no shortage of melody.
Close to the end, the poetic “By Design” welcomes Jon Graboff’s moody pedal steel as the sisters sing with much grace, and “Greek Tragedy” exits the listen with a dreamy display of soft keys, gorgeous singing and Hattie Webb’s impactful harp.
Eleanor has made some great music as The Mastersons with her husband, Chris, and Bonnie has several esteemed solo albums to her credit. Their collective strengths are certainly much appreciated on this very harmonic and careful collaboration that just might be the first great record of 2022.
Travels well with: Lilly Hiatt- Walking Proof; Sad Daddy- Way Up In The Hills