Three distinctly different voices; a world of folky arrangements; an instantly classic feel. Introducing Wild Remedy: a Canadian trio whose debut EP ‘Songs From Home’ mixes pop, folk, and a world of harmonies, and shares a selection of songs that sound like they’ve long been a part of the Americana scene and even other peoples’ repertoires.
One of the EP’s strongest cuts, ‘What Did I Find’ opens with a hard strummed guitar riff that sounds as if it’ll break into an old Suzanne Vega classic, which creates a more than solid folk-pop backdrop for three strong voices. Amy’s slightly loud tones are balanced perfectly by the softer approach taken by Shay and Colleen; hearing all three blend together actually creates something bigger than the sum of the parts, and as they cry through a very 90s melody, it takes all of a minute before the song sounds like something with a genuine pedigree. A warm bass and simple percussion flesh everything out with just as much ease, but it’s a ringing guitar that cuts through the cracks, drenched in echo, that actually provides this number with its best musical feature. It may be subtle, and in danger of being overlooked, but it’s almost Daniel Lanois-esque sound adds an unexpected depth, and its pop-rock tone hints at something a little different to the usual approach for Americana bands. ‘Take The Punches’ captures a similarly busy feel, but a flatter drum sound allows the acoustic elements to flow just a little better. Musically, there are hints of early works by The Story meeting with Willy Porter (the huge acoustic strums are more than reminiscent of a few tunes from his wonderful ‘Dog Eared Dream’) both of which lead to a bigger country pop sound on the chorus, but as you might expect, this allows ample room for more great harmonies. When Wild Remedy’s trio of voices swell, the melody comes with an absolutely huge adult oriented folk pop sound, and the tune is so strong, its actually able to carry a lyric of unease where the “future is anxious” and everyone is urged not to rely on a crystal ball to forge their path in such a way that it feels natural. As with ‘What Did I Find’, a good song becomes a great one at the eleventh hour when a strong pop-rock melody is overlaid with a wall of harmonies. If you’re a fan of singer-songwriter fare with an Americana lilt, then this stands every chance of becoming a firm favourite in record time.
Wild Remedy begin flaunting their gift for vocal brilliance immediately on the enjoyable ‘Home Song’. It’s just be a quick tease by way of an intro, but it immediately suggests great things ahead. An acoustic stomper, the bulk of the track shares a busy rhythm with elements of trad folk, but Wild Remedy are able to bring more of a melody via their smooth, effortless vocal stance which often finds the performers waist deep in hugely appealing three part harmonies. The harmonies are contrasted by a slightly wayward lead courtesy of Amy whom, by her own admission, has “too loud of a voice”, but even so, her enthusiasm gives the core of this number a real character. With further help from a narrative that shares the universal themes of safety and belonging, the track has a wonderful sense of warmth despite the busy arrangement, and quickly sounds like an old folk standard redressed in poppier finery, even though it is a wholly original work. Like a marriage between (a good) Mumford & Sons and the much-missed Worry Dolls, Wild Remedy sound supremely confident here, and with a stripped back coda which shows off Amy’s voice backed by Shay and Colleen on some tight harmonies, it’s also a number that feels exceptionally well-rounded.
On the quieter side, ‘Little Me’ is a stripped down acoustic piece where harmony vocals occasionally give way for moments of more fragile sounding lead. The track doesn’t have the immediacy of its predecessors, but still manages to be a great showcase for the vocals – especially Shay and Colleen’s quieter tones. This shows off a little more of the band’s range, and the slightly more lo-fi ‘Wild Remedy’ changes the mood yet again with hints of First Aid Kit lurking within an arrangement where strummed guitar chords underscore a crying vocal that relies a little less on those harmonies.
For those who enjoy their folk with more of an airy, ethereal quality, the core of the Wild Remedy sound will likely be a little too “stompy” in places, and perhaps leans a little too much towards a sugary country folk in others, but ‘Wild Remedy’ (the track), particularly, ensures there’s something here for everyone. There’s little doubt this trio are terrific at what they do. Their harmonies are impressive enough alone to make this EP worth hearing, if only out of curiosity, but with a few strong songs in hand, this short release plays like a primer for an act heading for much bigger things.
June 2024