Wanderer’s Compass
Organic, 2021
8/10
A member of the Grammy winning outfit Infamous Stringdusters, on his own, Jeremy Garrett continues his creative vision with expert looping and very eclectic song craft, where no genre appears off limits and he’s got some impressive help across the 10 tracks.
“Footprints” starts the listen with a very playful meshing of beats, strings and world music ideas that you could, and probably should, dance to, as Jason Hann holds down percussion on the 30 year old tune, and “Won’t You Remember My Name” follows with Scott Barnett’s clever programming and Garrett’s fiddle acrobatics highlighting the very unique version of bluegrass.
“Wishing Well” lands in the middle and displays Garrett’s diverse pipes, where intricate guitar work illuminates the soulful rock’n’roll, while “Good Times” tosses Prisca’s soothing vocals into the warm, percussively strong climate. “I’m Not The Enemy”, the album’s best, then showcases Jon Stickley’s incredible guitar prowess alongside Garrett’s swift fiddle work, as the pair work together with incredible skill and interplay.
Bookending the album are “She’s My Friend” and “Nevermind”, where the former is vocally strong and musically rich with mandolin, and “Nevermind” exits the listen with programming returning amid pop, country and hip-hop all wrapped up in some rootsy flavor.
An endeavor taken on while Infamous Stringdusters were gearing up for another stint on the road, Garrett’s lifelong interest in bluegrass is still very much present, but all the other sounds he’s come to love are also represented in quite possibly the most adventurous record of its kind in recent history.
Travels well with: Anya Hinkle- Eden And Her Borderlands; Aaron Burdett- Dream Rich, Dirt Poor