Wildwood
Leaky Boat, 2019
9/10
A midwestern songstress, Katie Dahl is armed with a strong alto voice and a penchant for smart, unassuming and timeless song craft on this 4th album.
“Anna Lee” starts the listening with aching pedal steel, playful acoustic guitar and Dahl’s expressive vocals on the thoughtful tune, and “Worry My Friend” follows with a quicker pace of Americana pickin’ fun.
Further along, “Helen” recruits a warm rootsy spirit, while “Wildwood Girl” injects a timeless folk approach with vivid storytelling- a common theme throughout the listen.
Deeper cuts bring us the vocal harmonies of “Valmy”, the lone cover, which moves with a frisky, rural shuffling, and “In The Dark” flows with graceful melodies that warrant repeated listens. “Breathing Room” exits the listen with strings, gentle backing vocals and gorgeous organic instrumentation, as Dahl and company end the record as fluid as they started it.
Recorded live in just 3 days, Dahl’s delivery is crisp, spontaneous and captures the true essence of her craft, as players from outfits like The Milk Carton Kids and Birds Of Chicago help ensure this is a folk journey you won’t want to miss.
Travels well with: Birds Of Chicago- Love In Wartime; Gillian Welch- Soul Journey