[rating=7.00]
On Kin, Waylon Speed opt for a polished, ultra-professional approach that’s in stark contrast to the often sprawling but earnest displays of affection for country and hard rock that populate their previous recordings. But the rambunctious glee that pervades the likes of Horseshoes and Hand Grenades as well as the Boots EP also permeates most of their latest album, albeit in short sharp bursts rather than the more freewheeling attack contained in those earlier records.
That’s an important distinction to make as the Vermont based quartet share production credit with Mark Spencer, who’s previously performed similarly astute duties for Son Volt. With engineer Brian Thorn preserving the instrumental and vocal clarity of tracks like “Tally –Ho” and “Union,” Waylon Speed take another step towards maturity by recording in New York City, rather than their Green Mountain homeland; it all constitutes an act of faith in themselves that does nothing to undermine, but rather reinforces, the quirky persona they’ve developed (further reaffirmed by the intelligence of the lyrics printed on the booklet enclosed in this handsome digi-pak).
For instance, on “Smooth the Grain” and “Until It All Ends,” the gleeful gusto in the group vocals and the ever-present twang in the guitars resound over the jackknife beat drummer Justin Crowther maintains with his sibling bassist Noah. There’s much to be said for the continuity of Kin, especially insofar as the submersion of the quartet’s instrumental power on a track such as “Shakin’,” sounds like the musicians are about to burst the constraints of the structured arrangements.
Their maintenance of self-discipline and self-restraint is more than a little laudable. In fact, the eleven tracks on Kin proceed in such quick succession that each individual cut, including “Days Remain the Same,” might well serve as a microcosm of everything Waylon Speed has learned to do well, including the composition of original material that arises naturally from the group’s road-tested experience.
Not every number here succeeds in that regard however. “Coming Down Again” sounds too much like the early Eagles, while “Reminds Me” replicates early Lynyrd Skynyrd from its riff-based style right down to the frenetic guitar solos: Kelly Ravin and Rev. Chad Hammaker (from whose son this band’s moniker derives) generally rely more on the careful mesh of their parts rather than the pure speed they exhibit here.
A multi-instrumentalist himself, Mark Spencer might’ve utilized more acoustic textures to vary the pace of the album or perhaps allowed for the inclusion of a single instrumental piece, given Waylon Speed’s pure love to play together. Still, by the time Kin concludes with “Demons,” there’s a definite sense of a collaborative experiment having come to fruition with as much flair as depicted in the stylized graphics that adorn this package.
