Reflections on tangled emotions and fears.
Based in Seattle ‘Wobble in the Moon’ is Will Rainer’s second solo album which he wrote and produced by himself – that’s in addition to others he has done with his wife Jen Garrett under the guise of Stuporohero and also with his band Will Rainer and the Pines. Garrett joins him on several tracks and adds some beautiful harmonies and lead vocals when they duet.
The opening song, ‘Patio’ finds him sitting quietly in easy company out on the said patio thinking about isolation and the future, trying to work out how to deal with them both. He attempts to address a number of fears throughout. In ‘Endless’ it’s the fear of being alone and of the unknown but is comforted by the hope that an Astronaut is up there somehow looking out for him “sending him a signal as you pass by”.
As the title suggests, thoughts about space play a large role in a number of the album’s tracks. The wonderfully titled ‘Mushroom Gnome and Golden Boy’ find them being beamed up into a world of giants for example. It has a lovely childlike feel to it almost as if he’s telling a bedtime story. Accompanied by a subtle trumpet, it is charming.
“When people ask me about my inspiration for writing songs, there’s no magic to it,” Will insists. “I just plug away at it from day to day. I guess the secret, if there is one, is to show up and do the work.”
‘To Supreme’ has an almost eerie feel to it. He describes it as “a shadowy ode to the dark divey bars where he found solace in over the years”. Again, the use of the trumpet in the background is very effective indeed, as is the slide guitar which appears on a number of tracks throughout.
This extremely accomplished album takes the listener to many curious places with its unusual and sometimes poignant imagery. It also asks many questions about aspects of today’s society in such a laid-back but incisive way.
Even the moon is no limit.
