Folk duo marries the old with the new on down-to-earth debut.
Not the fairytale you may be more familiar with, but a musical venture from New York-based wife-and-husband folk duo, Ned Joyner and Charlotte Wager Miller. Their debut album, “Westways”, presents ten well-chosen songs spanning the breadth of storytelling from traditional ballads to more contemporary favourites, ably produced by Andy Beargie, and showcasing their excellent playing and intimate, perfectly matched harmonies. While the album consists solely of non-originals, it works well as a collection of curated folk songs where the duo’s passionate delivery breathes new life into them.
The album opens with a cover of Guy Clark’s ‘Anyhow I Love You’, a sweet-sounding ballad that begins with some quietly strummed guitar, but when the duo begins harmonising, recalling some of the classic country duets of the past, it becomes clear that something special is occurring. With its unfussy arrangement and low-key delivery, it manages to demonstrate how a good song, in the right hands, can turn into something special. The traditional ‘Cumberland Gap’ follows and proceeds to take things up a notch. Anchored by some immaculate fingerpicking that picks up steam as the song progresses, like an accelerating train, it’s a captivating, rootsy number that perfectly showcases their innate musicality and naturally blending harmonies.
Midway through the record comes a pair of Dylan covers, covering opposite ends of his vast catalogue, from a narrative on lost love to a social commentary on war. While ‘Girl From The North Country‘ has been frequently covered, the duo does the song justice with an affecting rendition that certainly makes a case for its inclusion here. The politically charged and unfortunately still very relevant, ‘Let Me Die in My Footsteps‘ is similarly impressive in its earnest delivery, with Joyner’s pleading vocals adding an air of melancholy in this call for equanimity in uncertain times. Given the volume of songs available from the Dylan discography, it’s a surprising but welcome choice and articulates the duo’s strengths as musical interpreters. ‘Nine Pound Hammer’ starts out with a slow, bluesy swagger where the momentum slowly builds, propelled by some steady, melodic playing by Wager Miller that provides the song with distinctive character until it eventually breaks out into a full-fledged bluegrass rave with Joyner’s mastery of the acoustic guitar on full display.
Things slow down on the final track, a tender rendition of the Bee Gees’ late-70s hit ‘Too Much Heaven‘ that strips the song down to its essentials and demonstrates that underneath all those falsettos, there is a very pretty tune that rests comfortably among its contemporary cousins. It’s a graceful way to end the album and further proof that today’s songs are destined to become the traditional songs of tomorrow.
Coming in at a brisk twenty-nine minutes, the album easily holds the listener’s attention for its duration and succeeds a nice introduction to the duo’s talents. It’s a no-frills, but charming, record that features a seamless blend of traditional and modern songs performed in an acoustic setting and featuring some overall splendid performances. Their website describes them as a “fireside folk duo“, and it’s an apt description: warm and inviting, a glowing debut.
