Chris and Oliver Wood had just begun to stretch themselves working together as a duo in the recording studio when vocalist/multi-instrumentalist/composer/producer Jano Rix joined forces with them around 2011. The live releases Sky High Volumes 1 and 2 allowed the trio to recalibrate before they began a string of albums, including The Muse, Paradise and One Drop of Truth, each of which radiated a distinctly different focus.
It only stands to reason that, after over a decade as a three-man unit, The Wood Brothers would engage in an artistic retrenchment as a means to nurture their creative instincts. Heart Is The Hero is just such a productive endeavor and, as recorded by Brook Sutton, mixed by Trina Shoemaker, and mastered by Eric Conn, the project evinces as much clarity of purpose in technical terms as in the versatility of the musicianship.
In fact, it takes the Wood Brothers just slightly longer than thirty-eight minutes to reboot their collective art. The very first number of the ten here, “Pilgrim,” is a quintessential example of their unique blend of folk, blues, gospel, and rock. Imbued with similarly upbeat, infectious charm, the title song immediately following also recalls the quirky nature of the two-man debut Ways Not To Lose of 2008, as is also the case later on with “Someone For Everyone.” The Wood Brothers circa 2023 retain the virtues of their past even as they move confidently into the future.
On the latter number, Oliver begins singing to himself with a wry detachment before Jano’s barrelhouse piano wends its way into and through the arrangement, that action still allowing room for Chris to blow some cheery harmonica. All three Wood Brothers sound perfectly liberated when harmonizing on “Worst Pain of All:” the wordless vocals may indeed speak volumes, but it’s still useful to have the full lyrics to that tune and its companion pieces printed on the inside of this deceptively plain-colored, tri-fold package design.
Acoustic guitars appear out of nowhere at the end there, but the unplugged textures also dominate “Far From Home.” The intimacy accentuates the theme of the song’s words, as does the instrumental interaction between the drums and the standup bass: the stability of the rhythm section further supports guest Roy Agee’s trombone as it rises above the rest of the ensemble.
The Wood Brothers long ago mastered the craft of telling a story through dramatic combinations of verbal imagery, melody, and rhythm. So, “Between The Beats” is hardly a surprise in how fully (and naturally) fused are the components of the recording. But “Line Those Pockets” is also one of those rare instances where the triad of authors artfully approach a topical subject and the oblique angle they adopt in the realm of political/social/cultural commentary makes it work as effectively as “Mean Man World”.
Counterpoint group vocals, saxophone from Matt Glassmeyer’s sit-in, plus the shimmer of electric piano, reinforce the unpredictable air of “Rollin’ On” as well as this track’s sequencing overall. Highlighted by accordion, the interaction on “Kitchen Floor” is comparably lean and it’s the very element of open space that reinforces this declaration of purposeful longevity.
So laudable a sentiment, expressed with such gusto, makes that cut the ideal conclusion to Heart Is The Hero. An album devoted to enduring ideal(s) of integrity, musical and otherwise, this is, in a very real sense, the Wood Brothers’ definitive statement of values.
