Oh my goodness.

Blake Cowan is Wickerbird. This album arrived on a beautiful Autumn day. The beautiful Autumn day became The Crow Mother. Simply lovely.

Please do not expect to shake your tail feather to this record, instead wrap up warm and go out for a walk into nature maybe watch the sun set then go home, make some tea and toast, light a candle and play this.

Guitars are gently fingerpicked, ghostly vocals are layered and leaves fall from the trees. The universe vibrates with joy. ‘Folds’ opens the album and I am enchanted. The perfect statement. The lovely restful vibe continues to flow like a stream hidden from view as you wander through the woods.

‘Tripoli’ is a slightly more up tempo tune, where a slightly eerie sense pervades. ‘Druids’ follows and is a masterpiece, hypnotic and otherworldly. We don’t stop here, ‘Tall Rooms’ has some lovely banjo peeking through the trees as voices rise and fall. The gorgeous pastoral sense carries you along , atmospheric samples find gaps to slip into the music like evening sunlight through leafy branches gently warming the state of holiness that has found a home in these songs.

The sense of beauty nature and freedom infuses this whole project with a minimal lo-fi elegance that is totally engaging. The final and eleventh track, ‘The Crow Mother’, finishes the cycle of songs and is simply magnificent. There is nothing morose in the ghostly choirs and hushed voices found here as they accompany you to a sense of wonder and ethereal otherworldliness. The “lost in the woods” vibe is so engaging we could be sat around a campfire together enjoying a fine single malt and being at peace.

The Crow Mother is a wonder. Gentle in spirit, magical in its creation and stunning in performance. Please, please tune in…….

 

Words: Keefy How

Wickerbird Bandcamp. Facebook. Soundcloud. Tumblr. Twitter.