12-05-2025, 15:57
(This post was last modified: 12-05-2025, 16:12 by Ruby.
Edit Reason: Losing my marbles
)
I'M WITH HER ~ Wild and Clear and Blue
![[Image: IMWITHHER_WILDandCLEARandBLUE_COVER-scal...1741097417]](https://rounder.com/cdn/shop/articles/IMWITHHER_WILDandCLEARandBLUE_COVER-scaled_large.webp?v=1741097417)
Wholesome seems like a dirty word these days, but that’s probably the best overall description for this release, and just like a decent cup of tea, the flavour and complexity is revealed once steeped a little.
I’m With Her is a folk oriented trio comprising Sarah Jarosz, Sara Watkins and Aoife O’Donovan, all of whom are extraordinarily accomplished, respected and successful musicians in their own individual right. I’m familiar with Sarah Jarosz (who is regarded as something of a prodigy) and Sara Watkins who has established herself as a force to be reckoned with in the progressive bluegrass / folk arena, and aside from forming Nickel Creek along with her brother and Chris Thile, has performed with some big names including Jackson Browne and the Decemberists. I have dipped into to Aoife O’Donovan’s catalogue which is pretty impressive too – none of these women are to be easily dismissed.
Interestingly, they have fairly different styles in their solo work, and yet together they blend their talents seamlessly, and astonishingly, there are no egos in the room! A rarity – all three ladies capably wield multiple musical instruments and all sing and write equally competently.
This is their second collaboration – I have not yet listened to the first one, which I will as soon as time allows. There is zero here even remotely resembling the gutter from which most contemporary music seems to emanate – no shock value – honest, good playing, and well-executed, thoughtful songwriting, all of which sounds as though it might be boring, but I don’t get that at all – many nuances and serious skills on display.
Of course, it’s a matter of personal taste whether anyone will enjoy the listening, but you really can’t fault the artists – a melting pot of Folk/Americana/Bluegrass with impeccable harmonies. Produced by Josh Kaufman of Bonny Light Horseman who also contributes Wurlitzer and lap steel guitar, and includes wildly eclectic session drummer J T Bates (Bruce Hornsby, Pieta Brown, Andrew Bird, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, to name but a few!).
Title track … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2g2f6DgF8c – (of course I had to look up Brazos because I wanted to know what was being referred to – it’s the 14th longest river in the USA, flowing through Texas with its source in New Mexico and its mouth at the Gulf of Mexico (if it’s still called that!).
“Mother Eagle (Sing Me Alive) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8zwkhAVCts
Lead track “Ancient Light”
“Standing on the Fault Line”
Wholesome seems like a dirty word these days, but that’s probably the best overall description for this release, and just like a decent cup of tea, the flavour and complexity is revealed once steeped a little.
I’m With Her is a folk oriented trio comprising Sarah Jarosz, Sara Watkins and Aoife O’Donovan, all of whom are extraordinarily accomplished, respected and successful musicians in their own individual right. I’m familiar with Sarah Jarosz (who is regarded as something of a prodigy) and Sara Watkins who has established herself as a force to be reckoned with in the progressive bluegrass / folk arena, and aside from forming Nickel Creek along with her brother and Chris Thile, has performed with some big names including Jackson Browne and the Decemberists. I have dipped into to Aoife O’Donovan’s catalogue which is pretty impressive too – none of these women are to be easily dismissed.
Interestingly, they have fairly different styles in their solo work, and yet together they blend their talents seamlessly, and astonishingly, there are no egos in the room! A rarity – all three ladies capably wield multiple musical instruments and all sing and write equally competently.
This is their second collaboration – I have not yet listened to the first one, which I will as soon as time allows. There is zero here even remotely resembling the gutter from which most contemporary music seems to emanate – no shock value – honest, good playing, and well-executed, thoughtful songwriting, all of which sounds as though it might be boring, but I don’t get that at all – many nuances and serious skills on display.
Of course, it’s a matter of personal taste whether anyone will enjoy the listening, but you really can’t fault the artists – a melting pot of Folk/Americana/Bluegrass with impeccable harmonies. Produced by Josh Kaufman of Bonny Light Horseman who also contributes Wurlitzer and lap steel guitar, and includes wildly eclectic session drummer J T Bates (Bruce Hornsby, Pieta Brown, Andrew Bird, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, to name but a few!).
Title track … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2g2f6DgF8c – (of course I had to look up Brazos because I wanted to know what was being referred to – it’s the 14th longest river in the USA, flowing through Texas with its source in New Mexico and its mouth at the Gulf of Mexico (if it’s still called that!).
“Mother Eagle (Sing Me Alive) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8zwkhAVCts
Lead track “Ancient Light”
“Standing on the Fault Line”
"The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us." ~ Bill Watterson
