The Wingdale Community Singers – S/T / 2005 Plain Recordings / 15 Tracks / http://www.runtdistribution.com / Reviewed 30 April 2005

The disc starts off in a completely different vein than I was assuming an act that incorporates Hannah Marcus in it; not the sort of dark, ethereal music that marked the entirety of “Desert Farmers” but rather a more Americana style of music that draws heavily on country & western of an earlier, more simple period. On tracks like “ Blue Daisy”, there is no drive to the track; like an Ox Bow lake, the track meanders around, with Marcus’ vocals taking the lead. The vocal interplay on tracks like “Bike Shop Boy” really adds a lighter note to a disc that has mucked around in the mundane up to that point, and recalls something more folk-like (Peter, Paul and Mary, for example). Finally breaking out of the cobwebs that covered many of the earliest tracks on this disc, the sub-two minute “Fishnet Stockings” uses fast tempos and clapping to recall some of the most memorable down-home blue-grass songs. Continuing the kicked up tempo for “Sugar and Salt”, The Wingdale Community Singers seem to inculcate themselves with the alternative music from the earliest days of the nineties; hints of Rusted Root and even Deee-lite can be heard.

“Holy Virgin Star” shifts the focus of the disc back towards the slice of Americana that marked the earliest strains of the disc. A song created for the bastard child of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Cannibal The Musical, “Holy Virgin Star” is one of the few tracks on the disc that individuals can actually sing along with. “Give It a Kiss”has a back and forth that needs nothing more than a guitar to provide all the ambience is needed’; the track is necessary to infuse The Wingdale Community Singers with a certain soul that does not play too tremendous of a role through the first half of the disc.

What is refreshing about “Rat on the Tracks”, besides its goofy lyrics is the Outlaws-like guitar progression and bluegrass walking bass; here, The Wingdale Community Singers really show their TMBG influence. It is true that the music is not dated to any specific era, but there is a problem on this disc of allowing the last few tracks to peter off. The music on this disc is so simplistic but is ultimately fitting for the situation; The WCS have distilled pop down to its simplest elements and made an album that can be appreciated by everyone.

Top Tracks: Holy Virgin Star, Rat On The Tracks

Rating : 7.1/10