Sunday, November 1, 2009

Sunday Morning Coffee:: Bird & Bear

I'm not sure I could have found a better fall EP or a better candidate for the old Sunday Morning Coffee section than the debut from Bird & Bear. This Newfoundland folk duo is built on the crystal clear, traditional folk vocals and guitar work of Jillian Freeman and the drum/banjo/drum machine support of Jon Janes (aka - The Mountain and The Trees).

Bird & Bear are about to release their debut EP - Into the Moon - and the overwhelming sensation you get from the collection of folk songs is warmth. Jillian's voice carries over the strums, keep time drums and banjo picks like a smile that lights up the room. We already know about Jon's talent and unique voice, but he's quite happy to act as a supporting player, laying down drums, subtle loops, organ and some killer accordion (and the occasional banjo line) to bolster Jill's classically trained and perfectly delivered vocals.

Witho all the bands dipping into the classic folk sounds, relying on seamless harmonies and heartache, it's refreshing to hear how Bird & Bear channel classic folk sounds (Old Habits could be stripped from any of your favorite folk records from the last two decades), but use the organ (and every other instrument they can find) and energy to keep the effort sounding fresh. The punchy conclusion to I Won't Go swirls and surges, and floats into the ghostly tones of the accordion driven A Settling of Accounts - a track that lets Jillian show off how effortlessly she jumps into falsetto - but it's the closer that really shows the future of the band.

A Practical Imagination is a seven minute affair that mixes Jillians coffee shop, back porch vibe with a surprising drum machine back beat and barely audible electric guitar that moves in and out of the song nicely. More importantly, it ends the EP on a high that makes you want to listen again. All in all, perfect for a Sunday AM, so do yourself a favor and pick up the EP next week when it comes out.