Review Summary: Tradition shaking hands with progression
For a moment, I’d like to direct your attention to a lyric from the title track of Molly Tuttle’s latest record:
Perfect trees were driven down the mountain to the mill
They turned them into toothpicks and twenty dollar bills
It seemed the more the people took, the more they needed still in the end
The crooked trees were left there after all the work was done
Now they go for weeks and never witness anyone
No one left to tell them if they’re growing right or wrong but the whispering wind
If there’s ever been a better demonstration of what Tuttle brings to bluegrass, I haven’t seen it. What starts as a commentary on environmentalism and consumerism transforms into existential musings on identity and belonging, as the singer-songwriter’s voice exudes melancholy and warmth in equal measure. While Tuttle’s always been associated with the modern bluegrass scene - hell, her father brought her up on this music - there’s just something about her approach that sets her apart from many of her contemporaries. Maybe it’s the way her humility belies her ridiculous guitar skills, or maybe it’s the way she effortlessly conjures vivid images through her songwriting prowess. But in any case, she’s one hell of a standout talent.
If Crooked Tree proves anything right from the get-go, it’s that her proficiency on the guitar is as incredible as ever. “She’ll Change” is a wild burst of energy, with Tuttle and her backing band Golden Highway blazing through rapid-fire southern guitar/banjo/violin passages. The lyrics themselves might as well be Tuttle’s own life story, weaving the tale of an idiosyncratic woman who lives by her own rules and can’t be pinned down by those around her; meanwhile, her crosspicked guitar work remains in a league of its own. This isn’t to say the entire record is so energetic and intense, however, as there are plenty of moments for you to catch your breath. “Dooley’s Farm”, for instance, is a slow-burning piece whose atmosphere and style are more resemblant to folk-country duo The Civil Wars… well, that is until guest Billy Strings comes in with his more traditional bluegrass-oriented style. The lyrics themselves are a fun character study concerning a farmer who’s secretly a violent outlaw, and the slow pace fits the dark subject matter nicely. The decision to utilize the backing musicians of Golden Highway was also an inspired choice, as their incredible instrumental skills are a perfect fit for Tuttle’s complex melodies and intricate picking style. This is especially true of the more uptempo songs; you’d expect a tune to fall apart at any minute due to everyone firing at all cylinders, but thanks to the sheer proficiency of every musician, it never does.
Where I believe Tuttle truly stands out, however, is in her vocals. As I said before, bluegrass has always been a part of her work; however, her voice is quite a departure from what you’d normally hear in the genre. She doesn’t try to put on some fake accent or Southern drawl (which is probably a good thing considering she’s from California), instead opting for a more contemporary country singing style, something that absolutely works wonders with her lyrics and guitar playing. If there’s another parallel I can draw from The Civil Wars here, it’s that the vocal harmonies are absolutely top-notch; the haunting imagery of “Castilleja” and the tragic co-dependence of “Over the Line” simply wouldn’t be the same without the lovely vocal interplay covering the musical terrain. It’s worth noting that Crooked Tree doesn’t have complicated foundations: rather, it’s what Tuttle and Golden Highway do to supplement these foundations. After all, the chord changes and rhythms are quite typical to bluegrass music; however, the magic lies in Tuttle’s penchant for spinning thought-provoking yarns and creating endlessly compelling vocal melodies.
Crooked Tree closes with “Grass Valley”, a song that gives us a glimpse into Tuttle’s personal life and upbringing; the touching lyrics, which describe her relationship and upbringing with her father, are a final reminder that this record is a true labor of love. Quite fittingly, the music takes on a more reverent and positive tone, coming full-circle with the life- and identity-affirming message of the album opener. Crooked Tree is a beautiful look into what modern country and bluegrass could be in the (hopefully near)-future, combining a respect for tradition with an open mind toward the future. It’s also a fantastic display of what happens when artistry, craft, and soul successfully meld into one near-perfect whole.
I didn't think I'd ever give a 4.5 to a damn bluegrass album, but here we are!
Also, I'm aware of how amazing Molly's playing is. However, since almost every review highlights that fact, I decided to take my review in a bit of a different direction (while still mentioning her guitar work, of course)
Finally, about that RHCP review I was gonna do... I'm sorry, but I just got bored and scrapped it. Even with Frusciante back, there's not a whole lot to say
@Fogza: Yeah, this is basically like if you took traditional bluegrass, Kacey Musgraves (mostly in the vocals), The Civil Wars, and virtuoso guitar/violin work and put them all together
Thank you! I think this is the first time I've reviewed two country albums back-to-back, but it's been fun experimenting with different genres than what I usually cover
I gave this a cursory spin back when it dropped and I love her voice and songwriting but felt like the banjo was way overutilized. Perhaps bluegrass is just not for me, but I felt like that ruined a lot of otherwise great songs.
@Sowing: that's the thing, normally I'm not a bluegrass fan either. I guess I was just suckered in by Molly's more modern take on the genre, especially in regards to vocals and lyrics... though I can see where you're coming from in terms of the overt banjo playing, lol
I still feel oddly drawn to revisit it though, so who knows. If anything is capable of growing on me it's an album that takes an outdated genre and pushes it forward, so we'll see.
Very happy to see this review! Was very much anticipating this album and, while I enjoyed it greatly, it didn't hit my expectations. Felt like her immense talent covered up some pretty just ok songwriting
I do like your approach to the review! Lyrics were definitely another highlight that I think have been overlooked
Listened for a bit last night, but had to turn it off after the first four songs, I don't know, the songwriting just felt so hokey, nothing close to touching what she was doing on When You're Ready, personally
"Listened for a bit last night, but had to turn it off after the first four songs, I don't know, the songwriting just felt so hokey, nothing close to touching what she was doing on When You're Ready, personally"
That's fair. The bluegrass elements are definitely a lot more heavy-handed here than on When You're Ready
I love this album. Great singing and guitar playing by Molly, and very fine songwriting too, not least on the amazing Grass Valley. Some of the best bluegrass musicians play on this album, Ron Block, Mike Bub, Jason Carter, Victor Krauss, and not least Jerry Douglas who also produced the album, and did a great job as the sound quality is superb.