The Small Glories • Assiniboine & The Red
 ans of the music used in epic western series like Deadwood
and Hell on Wheels will find a lot to appreciate on the latest album by the
Canadian duo known as The Small Glories. Filled with sweeping, cinematic storytelling, Assiniboine
& The Red serves as an Americana-flavored soundtrack through Canada’s rich
history, culture and natural beauty, and it is more energetic and lyrically mature than
the duo's 2016 debut. Founding members Cara Luft (formerly of the legendary Wailin’
Jennys) and J.D. Edwards are northern-folk-circuit heroes who deserve more attention
stateside. If you’ve never experienced the majestic beauty and intriguing inhabitants
of the Great White North, this record may have you checking flight plans or loading up the
family camper.
Luft begins the disc’s opening valentine to the duo’s home province of Alberta by weaving her signature hammer-claw banjo runs with the yearning swells of Trent Freeman’s fiddle strings. Once the stage is set, Edwards’ piercing tenor paints the picture of a mountain sunrise so vividly you can almost feel your skin warm as the rays begin to melt the early-morning frost. With barely a pause, Luft and Edwards slap leather and take off at full gallop through a series of intense songs about leaving home (“Long, Long Moon”), saying goodbye (“Oh, My Love”) and forging through life’s difficult terrain (“Johnson Slide”). While the song’s acoustic instrumental arrangements are rich and intricate, they never interfere with the storytelling trajectory. The result is a recording that invites you to close your eyes and let the journey unfold. The album’s second half contains a number of standout tracks, like the country-tinged, radio-friendly “Secondhand,” a playful poke at people who choose to be mere observers on life’s sidelines. Luft and Edwards' voices and instruments are given even more room to breathe on “Pieces of Me,” an intensely haunting elegy to loves lost. These contemplative songs provide a welcome break from the hard-driving choral refrains that can make more anthemic numbers like “Don’t Back Down” and “Sing” a bit fatiguing upon repeated listening. Neil Osborne, guitarist and founding member 54-40, one of Canada’s most stalwart indie-rock bands, produced Assiniboine & The Red. Just as he did with the duo’s previous release, Osborne refrains from imposing a heavy hand. And that’s a fine line when it comes to folk music. Too little production can result in a lifeless recording, while too much can overpower subtle songwriting and obscure nuance. To my ears, Osborne has struck a healthy balance here. My only quibble with Assiniboine & The Red has to do with its sonics. Having been spoiled with the five-star recordings in the Wailin’ Jennys' catalogue, I found myself longing for more three-dimensional space and instrumental transparency. Specifically, on my reference system, Luft and Edwards' harmonies tend to homogenize as they get louder instead of sounding like two separate voices singing together. Luft’s banjo and Edwards’ guitar and supporting instruments are all placed similarly forward in the mix; the result is a recording that lacks that extra bit of realistic depth I’ve heard on the best releases of artists like Alison Krauss or the Civil Wars. That said, Assiniboine & The Red is an
emotionally engaging record that provides plenty of reasons to keep your eyes on future
releases by The Small Glories. |
