Whoa!
Transoceanic, 2020
8/10
Although this is the Chattanooga outfit Strung Like A Horse’s debut album, you certainly wouldn’t know it from their distinguished and exploratory version of Americana that often tips it hat to old school ideas, and occasionally gets firm enough to enter alt-rock.
“Fuck What They Think” starts the listen soft and expressive, where bare instrumentation sets the mood for the emotive, rootsy climate, and “Till The Wheels Fall Off” follows with gentle acoustic guitar, warm percussion and breezy melodies that sit in rhythmic, cozy Americana territory.
Near the middle, “Pelahatchie Nights” unfolds with playful instrumentation and inviting vocals from frontman Clayton Maselle, while “Lookin’ For Love” offers some bluegrass spirit in its frisky pace of banjo acrobatics as strategic backing vocals add much to the romantic wordplay. “I Was Born Here”, one of the album’s best, then simmers calmly, where poetic storytelling adds an almost spiritual quality to the timeless folk song.
Closer to the end, “Smile While We Go” recruits some country nods as the landscape builds into a thick, rugged, rural rocker that could fill stadiums, and “Dreamin’” displays sublime chemistry on the atmospheric and charming late album standout.
A unique outfit in that fans of punk as well as jam bands will find something to be enamored with, listening to Whoa! just begs us to hear Strung Like A Horse live, which, of course, might not be an option for awhile. Thankfully, repeated spins of this first record will easily suffice in the meantime.
Travels well with: Hot Buttered Rum- Lonesome Panoramic; The Mastersons- Good Luck Charm