There is no doubt that Big Love Car Wash are, at last, another NWOABB artist (that’s New Wave Of American Bluegrass Bands, natch’). Partly that’s because the band – Sol Chase (mandolin, bouzouki, vocals), Everett Wren (vocals, fiddle, dobro, lap steel, guitar, percussion), David Rabinowicz (vocals, guitar, piano) and Taylor Turner (upright and electric bass) – bring some twists to the traditional Bluegrass instrumental line-up. And then there’s Big Love Car Wash’s shared influences of bluegrass, folk, jazz, Celtic and rock idioms, that leads them to a more exploratory version of the music. They are bringing all that to their self-produced debut album, ‘Daydream’, which was recorded at the fabled Arlyn Studios in Austin, where most of the band is based (Chase splits his time between Ireland and the U.S.).
And you may be wondering about the unusual band name – well it’s a reference to the late Yonder Mountain String Band frontman and jamgrass luminary Jeff Austin, one of Chase’s major influences. Chase had once heard Austin announce to an adoring audience that the vibe he was receiving from them felt like moving through “a big love car wash.” That sentiment resonated with all four bandmates, who particularly enjoy the energy exchange of live performances. As David Rabinowicz has commented “I’ve never been a part of something that’s felt this natural and honest, we balance each other really well.”
Speaking of today’s song Everett Wren told Americana-UK that “‘Dante’ is about witnessing the cheapening of life for others’ pursuits. The proverbial frogs have willingly jumped in & subsequently remained in the pot of water as they are boiled.”
