As a confessed Silos head, I admit it was Walter Salas-Humara’s production credit that convinced me to buy this album, the third from Wisconsin brothers Scott (lead vocals, acoustic guitar, songwriting) and Brian (electric guitars, harmony vocals) Wooldridge. However, it’s the songs that are keeping it around.
Well, three songs, to be precise. The album-opening “Unbelievable Truth” sports the same combination of earnest rootsiness and dairyland-soul harmonies that made the first couple albums from statemates the BoDeans so charming, while yearning vocals, soaring guitars and shifting moods all conspire to make “Last Man Standing” a standout. Several tracks later, a romp called “Fond Farewell” suggests what it might sound like had another talented fraternal pair, the Brothers Finn of Crowded House, grown up in the Midwest instead of New Zealand. (A fourth cut, the mandolin-blessed “Lucky 21″, is a near miss.)
The others pass by pleasantly enough, but don’t tend to register, making a re-introduction necessary on subsequent visits. This may not be enough for some folks, but three truly top-notch tunes and Salas-Humara on board equals a keeper for me.
