If 2010 does not turn out to be Woodpigeon‘s year, it will truly be a great injustice. In a music industry lacking artists with honest abilities and talents that aren’t the result of a studio technician, they’re a breath of fresh air. 
However, Woodpigeon is kinda hard to explain to someone who might not have heard them. They’re too Andrew Bird to be alt. country, but also too Ryan Adams during his Whiskeytown period to be indie. I honestly can’t really sum up the band in terms of a genre, because I can also hear classic rock, bluegrass, and England sound in them. A lazy journalist would simply crank out a laundry list of A-List bands that vaguely resemble them (like, if the Sufjan Stevens style of storytelling was fronted by The Swell Season, who had written some songs with Alison Krauss and Damien Rice). However, a description so simplistic (ha!) wouldn’t do this band justice.
For example, “Die Stadt Muzikanten,” the album’s opening and title track, reminds me of something I’d hear flipping through the channels past Turner Classic Movies. The combination of slide guitar, violin and piano strikes the feel of a dated saloon song. This impresses me greatly, considering that this album is dropping in 2010, seventy years late for the California gold rush.
But they’re more than some trivial band, aiming for a signature sound so out of the norm that people will have to notice. They possess pure raw talent, beyond their initial attention gathering snag. They’re impressive lyrical content and musical ability is nothing to be discredited. Mark Hamilton‘s vocals remain calm and soothing throughout the album, regardless of the storytelling. The album shifts around, turning a new corner at every song. Each highly unique track contributes, personally gathering responsibility and accountability for what could quickly become one of the most underrated albums of the year. Every song is worth the cost of the album.
But don’t just take my word for it. Check out Woodpigeon’s new album Die Stadt Muzikanten, in stores everywhere on January 12 of 2010. I personally promise that you will not be disappointed.
Track Listing:
01. Die Stadt Muzikanten
02. Woodpigeon vs. Eagleowl [Strength in Numbers]
03. “Empty-Hall Sing-Along”
04. Morningside
05. My Denial in Argyle
06. Enchantée Janvier
07. Such a Lucky Girl
08. Unmissable Grey, Mixed Paint
09. Duck Duck Goose
10. Spirehouse
11. Redbeard
12. The Street Noise Gives You Away
13. …And as the Ship Went Down, You’d Never Looked Finer
14. The Pesky Druthers (Parts 1 & 2)
15. Our Love is as Tall as the Calgary Tower
