Hi Pal,
Welcome to another review where I tell you how I feel about a specific album or EP release. We will check out Esther by The Welcome Wagon in today's edition.
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I wish I could say that I have followed the music of The Welcome Wagon for years, but that is sadly not the case. For the past three months, I have played catch-up on their discography, ever since I heard the first single off this album titled “Isaiah, California”.
This indie folk duo comprising of Vito Aiuto, a Presbyterian minister who pastors a small church in Brooklyn, and his wife Monique Aiuto returned to the scene after a reasonably long hiatus — 5 years — with their fourth full-length album. The album also marks their return to Asthmatic Kitty Records (Sufjan Stevens’ record label) where they released their debut.
“Isaiah, California”, begins with a recording of Monique's grandmother — Esther — reading from Matthew 11:28 which flows beautifully into calming guitar strums and vocals. These bible reading snippets can be found at various points throughout the album and they act as the conceptual thread that stitches the album together — hence the album name. It’s a simple duet that showcases their vocal chemistry and tells a story tinged with longing, nostalgia and warmth.
“Bethlehem, a Noble City” is led primarily by Vito with vocal harmonies provided by Monique. As the title might suggest, it’s an ode to the city of Bethlehem, recounting the role it plays in the introduction and revelation of Christ to the world. The interplay between the horns and the strings is one of my favourite things about the song.
“Knocking on the Door of Love” is bluesy with hints of gospel if you listen closely enough. Stylistically, it’s an outlier on this album and an indication that this band is willing to push the boundaries of their perceived creative pocket. “Have Mercy on Us” simplifies things, bringing back the classic acoustic guitar/keys-led folk arrangement. The simplicity of the song and its progressive nature makes it one of my favourites and the closing vamp, with lyrics, ‘…you were sent to heal/you have made a way…’ builds up to a satisfying ending.
“Consolation Blues” draws a sharp contrast between the turmoils of the world we currently live in and the promise of the one to come. The words ‘…I know the other world is not like this…’ capture the themes of the song perfectly. “Matthew 7:7” is based on the biblical events surrounding the title text. While the main lyrics of the song draw inspiration from verses 9-11 of that chapter, the song ends with a cassette recording of Esther reading through verses 7-8. It’s a wonderfully constructed song and I cannot praise it highly enough.
“I Know You Know” grew on me slowly. On first listen, it didn’t make any strong impressions on me. Over time, I’ve come to find that it is one of the most empathic songs on the album and certainly has the best horns of all the tracks. “Noble Tree” is my favourite song on the album. Everything about it is perfect to me and I fully recognize my bias on this assertion. Still, it’s one of the most profound songs I’ve heard about the passion of Christ in quite some time.
“Lebanon” injects some zest into what has been a mostly mellow listening experience. With electric guitar flourishes, playful piano licks and upbeat drums, it’s a welcome surprise on this journey.
“Nunc Dimittis” which is inspired by the canticle of the same name (also called the Song of Simeon or Canticle of Simeon) is based on Luke 2:29-32. I tend to place a lot of emphasis on the way albums end and it can make or break a listening experience, in my opinion. This song is up there with some of the best I’ve heard in 2022.
As someone who has discovered this duo recently, I’ve had the privilege of immersing myself in their music and appreciating the growth in their songwriting, composition and production over a fairly short period of time. If I had any criticisms of this album over the last — Light up the Stairs (2017) — it would be that Esther is a relatively safe album sonically. My guess is that the reason for this is that it is a concept album, clearly inspired by the woman who the album is named after. Yet, it is noticeable to me as a listener who really enjoyed the art rock infusions of the previous album.
Nonetheless, I am full of praise for this album. I often find that I rarely get drawn to musicians through the singles that they release. This is one of those rare moments where two singles inspired me to consume a musician’s discography and when the album finally dropped, those songs were not even on my top three. If this isn’t a testament to a wonderful listening experience, I’m not sure what is.
Genre(s): Indie Folk, Alternative
Album Link Here
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RATING
: 4.65/5
That’s it for today.
See you soon!
Talk to me about your favourite songs on the album. Also, let me know any other albums or EPs you’d like me to review.
There's tons to say about Esther from my end, but I'm in no rush to speak. I love how they keep getting better from their debut to this album. Perhaps this album ranks after Precious Remedies against satan's Devices personally
It's a great, great album. Dont have words to describe it properly. Dont care actually. 😊
Coming back here to talk about Esther 'cause I can somewhat articulate myself.
Harmony/Vocal: The blend of the couple's voice is something I respect a lot. Not a lot of duos have the sync and harmony they do - perhaps cause they are married, perhaps cause they are artistic, or maybe cause they are just really good. It's one thing to sing well and another to do harmony well.
Instrumentation: It keeps blowing me away. Relistening to Bethlehem, A Noble City as I type this and I'm noticing sounds I didnt seem to take note off before. Particularly the strings on this album - you, my Pastor, know how much of a sucker for strings I am. 😃
Lyrical Content: Spot-on. No need to type plenty. What I admire is the richness and poetry in their lyrics.
Simplicity: When it comes to music, I believe that in more ways than one, less is more. Maybe not on all tracks or genres, but I am not ignorant of the work put into this album. There's so much that doesnt overpower anything and just gives a simple feel to it. And that for me is a 102%.
Conclusion: I've been a fan of The Welcome Wagon for roughly 1.5 years, and I'm glad their releases have not disappointed. I can only pray that they keep growing in the Triune God and that their art keeps drawing people to Christ.
The End.