This Side

by

Nickel Creek

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From my reviewing friend, Matt Snook:

The album "Nickel Creek" currently has more air-time than any other around our house, surpassing the likes of Natalie MacMaster (superlative Celtic fiddler) and Blue Highway with Rob Ickes. Like many people I've heard at jam sessions and festivals, we're learning the Nickel Creek style breaks for "Cuckoo's Nest," and trying to tackle "Ode To A Butterfly" and "In the House of Tom Bombadil." Anna has even begun interrupting her fiddle practices (which involve learning Sara Watkins' fiddle licks) to start learning the mandolin. These guys (and gal) have definitely influenced our music and amazed us with their playing abilities and musical style. Needless to say, we were thrilled when Joe Ross allowed us to review the new album for the NWBluegrass Group. Using all of the fatherly wisdom I could muster, I warned the kids not to be disappointed in their first encounter with the new album. "These are all creative people, and will most likely not play anything like the music on their first album, but it will be good." I still think I was right. Still, because most of us know Nickel Creek only from that first album, most of this review will comprise a comparison of the two.

So how does "Nickel Creek: This Side" compare to their "debut" album? Nearly half of the first album was instrumental. This makes sense when all three band members are award winning musicians. But "This Side" has only one. Whereas the instrumentals on "Nickel Creek" had either a bluegrass or Celtic flavor with a newgrass/jazz/swing approach, the "Smoothie Song" (featuring bouzouki) is more of a bluesy-grass tune. I like it. I want more of it, but there's only one. Vocally the two albums are similar. Sara sings with a wispy, airy voice and Chris is very animated in his interpretations of misery. Sean sings lead on two of the songs, and "heartfelt" comes to mind. Whatever you think of their individual voices, the harmonies are superb. The lyrics on "This Side" cover the same wide range of their first album. Some are traditional songs with simple lyrics focusing on familiar topics. Things like love and other relationships, with easily interpreted lyrics. "House Carpenter" and maybe "Sabra Girl" fit this category. Then there are some blues oriented songs like "Should've Known Better" (by singer/songwriter Carrie Newcomer).

Others like "Green and Gray," which is folk-style but has a more modern twist involving the conflicts between career and relationships, and using an archery target for an unusual metaphor. Then there are those, like "Out of the Woods" on the first album that seem to be a matter of your own interpretation. There are several of those on "This Side."

A word about "newgrass." According to our own poll, most people think that Nickel Creek is newgrass. I think this is misleading as a description of Nickel Creek's first album, and doesn't apply to "This Side" either. Newgrass, as it has evolved over the last few decades, seems like a cross between rock-n-roll and bluegrass. Most of it is simply using "acoustic" instruments with rock-n-roll chord patterns, scales, and rhythms to arrange old rock songs, or songs with the same feel. That is not Nickel Creek's approach. Some songs, like "Sabra Girl" and "House Carpenter" are traditional in feel, but with more harmonic sophistication than a I-IV-V folk tune. They do a blues-type tune, "Should've Know Better," but with syncopation and a modal feel reminiscent of Celtic music. "Spit on a Stranger" (by defunct indie-rock band Pavement) and "Brand New Sidewalk" are simply unique. I think they would take you by surprise in any context. Most newgrass is much more formulaic, and contains few surprises. Nickel Creek is beyond newgrass.

Another approach to evaluating this album might be to ask why we buy any particular record. People might be interested in a source of new instrumental licks. I know Chris Thile's banjo-like mandolin cross-picking from the first album is certainly inspiring, and both Sara and Sean play some things people will be emulating for a long time. Or maybe like each of the Hot Rize albums it will be the source of some new jam favorites? Again, the first album has already rejuvenated "Cuckoo's Nest" and "The Fox", and I know of several bands composed of the younger set that are performing "When You Come Back Down" and "The Hand Song." How about back up ideas? I'm no guitar player, but Sean's backup on "Nickel Creek" is incredible and definitely gets your head going in a different direction. But that's all on the first album. I can't see people adopting many tunes from "This Side" for any of these reasons. There's only the "Smoothie Song" for an instrumental, and while I'd like to learn it I don't imagine it would go over very well at jam sessions. The main instrument is bouzouki, so mandolinists and fans of Chris' crosspicking will be disappointed. Sara and Sean are great, but this is no tour-de-force like "In the House of Tom Bombadil" or "Robin and Marian" from the first album. How about the vocals? "Seven Wonders" has some harmonic twists which make it interesting, but with that lost chord at the end it's surely a jam buster. Somehow I just can't see "Brand New Sidewalk" or "Spit on a Stranger" becoming jam fare.

Besides the many idiosyncratic differences, the gestalt of the two albums is also divergent. "Nickel Creek" seems complete. The vocals fit the songs-they actually make the songs. Backup and fills are complimentary to both the melody and lyrics; there are no inconsistent pieces. Personal tastes aside, you get the feeling that they achieved the sound they were after. The many interwoven breaks of the instrumentals, with their harmonies and counterpoints, leave no question that they love those songs and play them like nobody else can. It sounds like music they've been playing for the last ten years and have honed to perfection. "This Side" seems immature in comparison. The lone instrumental piece is well done, but has nowhere near the complexity or subtlety of any off the first album. The breaks are independent; each simply begins when the other ends. The backup and fill behind many of the vocals is technically perfect but doesn't have that bespoke fit of "When You Come Back Down" or "The Lighthouse" from the first album.

Summary: If you're expecting standard "newgrass," looking for a bonanza of new licks and jam tunes, looking for an extension of the honed precision playing of the first album, this isn't it. If you want something completely different, with some fresh subject matter, melodic arrangements that don't fit into any one key, acoustic string playing that is a cut above the rest, and some musical ideas that you haven't had-here you go. (Matt Snook)

First statement: on balance, i like this disk. It is worlds better than 95% of what you hear on the radio or see on videos. Anything by these prodigiously talented young people HAS to be at least good.

Second statement: I am NOT a "bluegrass purist". Any problems I have w this disk are NOT because I am a "purist."I have followed progressive bluegrass (not an oxymoron!) for over 20 years. I've been waiting for the last 10 for a new talented young band to come along & take the music to a new audience. I remain convinced that Nickel Creek IS that band. They're that good.

Therein lies the problem: this album is GOOD, but is still not delivering the full potential of this band. There are few standout tracks here. Most are either gimmicky (Sabra Song, Should've Known Better, & the oh-so-self-conscious attempt at a Beatles pop tune, Spit on a Stranger) or just flat boring (Young, House Carpenter).

There are some highlights. Sean Watkins FINALLY takes a turn at singing lead & writing & delivers the best track of disk on the title track. Green & Grey is a perfectly nice tune. And Smoothie Song, the ONLY instrumental (another disappointment) features spirited riffing by the amazing Chris Thile, along w Edgar Meyer making an appearance bowing his double bass.

Part of the problem may lie with producer Alison Krauss. She has Sara Watkins pigeon holed into the breathy, little girl vocals that she herself favors (see Stars on New Favorite for an example). She seems to indulge the group every whim, or maybe encouraged them. Annoying whispered spoken vocals underlying a track? Sure, kids, sounds good to me. Beatles-like strings? Go for it! A new producer for the next disk would be welcome.

Perhaps I am like the teacher who judges the gifted student more harshly, b/c he/she is aware just how much MORE this talented student can accomplish. We should take joy in the fact that there is room for these gifted musicians, who clearly have shown a willingness to stretch out & try new things, to grow still further. I mean, would we want them to release THE PERFECT DISK at this early stage in their career? then we'd be judging evreything they do from here on out as disappointing. So enjoy the good stuff, cherish Chris Thile's All Who Wander are not Lost, in which he DOES deliver on his full potential as an instrumentalist, & look forward to future growth from this band of wunderkinds.