Music Everywhere
Tuesday 05 June @ 12:11:18 |
The Pines: Sparrows in the Bell
by DWIGHT HOBBES
Sparrows in the Bell by The Pines (Red House Records), is a masterpiece. Buy it, listen and, then, don’t forget to be glad these guys are around.
That’s all there is to say. On the basis of your friendly neighborhood columnist getting paid by the word, though, let’s see whether we can’t milk the thing a little bit. How about: This caliber of artistry reminds even the pickiest music lovers why they fell in love with music? From connoisseurs of symphonic classics to fussy blues junkies, it’s about natural magic. Which, The Pines create like they were born to do intriguing things to your heart, soul and mind.
Before getting to the album (if you’re gonna pad, nothing says filler like background material), here’s info on The Pines. They’re a starbound, acoustic guitar duo, Ben Ramsey and David Huckfelt, out of the lauded Iowa City scene, where they released The Pines (Trailer Records). Signed with Red House last year. And have recorded an album that quite likely will put them on the national map.
Sparrows in the Bell, a spellbinding gem, brandishes strong music, lyrical genius and a silken, acoustic groove with the kick of a country mule. Anchored in the influence of Bob Dylan, it feels like a cross between John Wesley Harding and Bringing It All Back Home. Which takes nothing from The Pines’ originality – everybody, including Dylan, is influenced by somebody.
Take the lead cut, “Horse & Buggy”, a perfect set up and sampler for this album. It’s mesmerizing music set to existential lyrics. In one way or another that’s what all the songs here do. Beautifully. “Horse & Buggy”, cut is about a guy who’s so alienated from his surroundings that he is lost to life. Even the cover tune, “Careless Love” is an exquisite piece of sardonic writing. And the band cooks hard behind this thinking man’s boogie: thoughtful – sometimes downright eerie -- lyrics about being burned by a woman, music just as sweet and mean she probably was. Throughout the entire album, there isn’t one throwaway.
Producing Sparrows in the Bell, the boys have Ben’s father, Bo Ramsey, a pretty accomplished fella. Why, I asked him, did Bo Ramsey agree to produce this album? Somebody with his reputation is not going attach his name to a project just because his son got a mind to play some music. “Because I really like their music”, he said. “It speaks to me. They’re young and they’ve done their homework and continue to do their homework. They pay attention to what has come before them, yet they have an eye on the open road.” Ramsey ends with, “They really stepped up to the plate.”
As to why Ben Ramsey and David Huckfelt went to Ben’s dad, Ben says, “Honestly, I could not think of anyone else I would have wanted to produce this record. I felt [he] knew exactly where we wanted this record to go. I have been around by his side and seen him work in the studio on a lot of records. So I think that created a lot of musical communication. [That’s] not only talking and listening but is even more so a deep subconscious feeling and understanding. He is so subtle and dead on-and cool- and he has a connection with that other world that we can relate to.”
They both, of course, very happy with Sparrows in the Bell. David Huckfelt states, “I’m very pleased. It turned out great. It captures what we’re going for and it stretches us out, too.
The backup band is guest artist Chris Morrisey (bass), J.T. Bates (drums) and Bo Ramsey (electric gtr) with assistance from Alex Ramsey (keys), Michael Rosetto (banjo), Nicholas Lemme (mandolin) and Ethan Sutton (cello). If there’s one flaw, it’s that the lyrics are gorgeous, but there’s no lyric sheet. Guess you can’t have everything.
The Pines CD Release Concert with Ray Bonneville, Thu., June 7, 7:30 p.m. at Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Ave. S., Mpls. For tickets, call 612-338-2674.
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