THE WAILIN’ JENNYS
Firecracker
Jericho Beach Music
·Folkin’ brilliant Canadian country with a touch of bluegrass.
Folk artists walk a fine line between being original and being too pretentious and self-important. On Firecracker, Winnipeg’s The Wailin’ Jennys have walked that line with balance and grace, producing a mature record that mixes folk, bluegrass and country melodies with earthy, spiritual poetry and imagery.
A deep sense of mystery permeates the entire album. On "Glory Bound," a gospel song about the sweet hereafter, the Jennys are full of anticipation: "when I’m in my restin’ place/I’ll look on my mother’s face." The soft banjo- plucking and strong harmonies of the "hallelujahs" in the chorus will move even the most cynical soul.
There are laments, too, for our suffering world. The lonely-sounding "Starlight," talks about how "the earth is far away from any kind of heaven." In "Avila," the Jennys sing sorrowfully about how "O sweet peace/never have you fallen/never have you fallen upon this town."
But the record isn’t weighed down heavily by any kind of self-righteous profundity. It’s deep without being elitist, and has plenty of optimistic moments. Songs like "Some Good Thing," a country song about the possibilities of love, bring moments of lightness.
This record nurtures the spirit and gently explores the human condition through banjos, mandolins and questions left unanswered.
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