Wildwood
Self-Released, 2022
8/10
Harry Bartlett (guitars), Caleb Klager (bass, modular synth) and Harry Vetro (drums) come together for this exciting jazz listen that meshes folk and Western ideas into the improvised landscape.
“Burgess Falls” opens the listen with much warmth, where dreamy guitar and light drums flow with a meditative quality, and “Circle Of Moss And Fire Smoke” follows with a calm intimacy that swirls with a stirring, emotive appeal.
Further along, “The Incident At Blood Bay” uses the bass strategically amid the more firm drumming bouts, while “Sailing Over Troubled Waters” is a brief blast of thicker guitars and dense drumming in its brief exploration.
Arriving near the end, “Queen Of Surrey” burns cautiously with a reserved but dynamic interaction between the trio, and “Lachesism” recruits some post-rock nods into the agile and shimmering finish.
An album rooted in jazz, there’s much creativity and skill present that will appeal to fans of the lighter side of indie-rock, too, as Bartlett and company mesmerize us through the very meticulous record.
Travels well with: Chet Doxas- Rich In Symbolism II; Chris Mondak- Glass Spheres