After a widely acclaimed performance at the 2010 Newport Folk Festival, this young Boston based act have picked up accolades in the past few months, and have fast become one of the most talked about bands for 2011.
The David Wax Museum is based around the duo of David Wax and Suz Slezak (but for recordings and tours they bring in a range of musicians), and the overall approach and sound of the band is refreshing and totally unique on the current folk scene.
Wax’s journey saw him study in the US while summers were spent working in rural Mexico, while Slezak’s background has a more traditional base around traditional American folk influences – bringing the pair together creates a fascinating blend of traditional Mexican and American folk music. Whether it’s the unique rhythms or the instruments used, the Mexican-Americana approach is hugely successful, producing a contemporary sound with broad appeal; there are moments here that are genuinely gorgeous and always interesting.
It’s impossible to describe the overall style of the disc as it moves around from the ‘Day of the Dead’ lurching piano of ‘Unfruitful’ to the dustbowl simplicity of ‘Wait for Me’, and takes on board a range of other influences along the way. Everything is done with real élan and a sense of fun – it’s impossible not to enjoy some of the moods and sounds across the album, and those who pick this up and listen without any preconceptions or expectations will find a disc full of humour, life and personality, as well as one with great performances and inspired arrangements.
Released mid Feb, pre-order for shipment on release.
Track listing
1 Born With a Broken Heart
2 Unfruitful
3 Look What You've Done to Me
4 Yes, Maria, Yes
5 That's Not True
6 Lavender Street
7 Si Te Vas
8 Night Was a Car
9 Chuchumbe
10 Staggering and All
11 The Least I Can Do
12 Wait for Me
review 24 Jan 2011
