Fly On The Wall
Local Woman, 2020
8/10
A Washington D.C. duo comprised of Maureen Andary and Sara Curtin, The Sweater Set’s Fly On The Wall was actually recorded live in Maryland in 2018, as the pair blend their indie-folk and Americana with sublime chemistry from their decade playing together.
“Dawn Chorus” starts the listen with light acoustic guitar as soothing, strong vocals guide the moving opener, and “American” follows with a soulful swagger as vivid storytelling aligns with the bright instrumentation.
Elsewhere, the romantic “Hostage” brings glowing vocal harmonies into the folk tune, while “Change” gets louder with soaring pipes and timeless melodies. “Sucker”, one of the most playful tunes, then recruits electric guitar from Curtin on the album highlight.
At the end, “Mother Warned” finds a moody place to reside with an introspective spirit, and “In Search Of A Crowd” exits the listen with an incredible display of melodic vocals as acoustic guitar accents the beauty.
This is the 5th album from The Sweater Set, and the last before Andary and Curtin became mothers. It will be exciting to see how motherhood changes their song craft, and even if it doesn’t, I don’t think anyone will mind as their light flourishes of flute and percussion complement the poetic grace and flawless delivery that’s impossible not to enjoy.
Travels well with: Jess Jocoy- Such A Long Way; Surrender Hill- A Whole Lot Of Freedom