The Wood Brothers
Ways Not to Lose
(Blue Note)
First Appeared in The Music Box, April 2006, Volume 13, #4
Written by John Metzger
Considering his high-profile role as the
bassist for the 14-year-old, soul-jazz collective Medeski, Martin and Wood, it
undoubtedly is true that Chris is the more famous member of The Wood Brothers.
Nevertheless, on Ways Not to Lose, the ensemble’s debut, he generously cedes the
spotlight to his older brother Oliver, who — aside from a downright funereal
interpretation of the traditional folk tune Angel Band — penned all of the
material for the outing. Chris’ jazz-inflected, note-bending bass lines provide
textural drive to songs such as Atlas, One More Day, and The
Truth Is the Light. Frequently blending Bill Withers with The Black Crowes’
Chris Robinson, Oliver’s soulful vocals, however, bring these erstwhile tracks
to life. Nowhere is this more apparent than on the concluding That’s What Angels
Can Do, a wearily delivered testament to the healing power of love. Although the
duo never manages to reinvent the wheel, they do perform their hybridization of
blues, folk, soul, and jazz in perfect synergy, sometimes subtly so, such as
when Chris’ bass seems to linger on a note just as Oliver hangs onto a syllable.
The relaxed, understated ambience of Ways Not to Lose makes the set easy to
overlook, but beneath its surface, a spiritual heart beats that makes the
collection’s contents all the more affecting and alluring. 
½
Of Further Interest...
Old Crow Medicine Show - Big Iron World
The Winterpills - The Winterpills / self-titled
Ways Not to Lose is available from
Barnes & Noble. To order, Click Here!
Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2006 The Music Box