Not all bands or performers succeed with the EP
form. This condensed musical release often leaves those charged with the track
listing a challenge in illustrating the diversity and avoiding a release that
sounds too “samey” within an abbreviated space. The six tracks compromising
You, the latest release from California-based Americana inspired Angie and the
Deserters, stretch the definition of an EP release to its breaking point and
smashes through any particular obstacles the form might present. This merits
the same attention as a full length release. Angie and the Deserters have
achieved a stunning balance of diversity with the EP’s jaunt through weighty
ballads, inspired singer/songwriter fare, well-heeled honkytonk, a waltz, and
even a little peppering of Southern Rock near the EP’s end. Angie and the Deserters exhibit a
wide-ranging confidence as songwriters and performers alike that goes far
beyond their comparative few years on the scene. Bruyere, in particular, is
more revelatory with each new release.
Her ongoing evolution is apparent on the opening
song. “Stay” is quite well written, but it’s plainly emotional center makes it
ripe for amateurish interpretation in the wrong hands. Instead, Angie Bruyere
continues here ongoing ascent into the upper echelon of popular music singers
with a spine chilling vocal that pushes the song’s emotive qualities just
enough and no more. The band creates a perfect musical backdrop for her,
especially with their use of mandolin. “Forgetting to Forget” is one of the EP’s
songwriting showcases and sounds, to this ear, much closer to the work of Billy
Joe Shaver, Guy Clark, and others of that ilk than what it does to the
heavy-handed melodramas often produced generations before by Billy Sherrill. A
song like this has the artful quality of playing, not too crassly, for the
listener’s attention in its clever title hook, but alternating that with just
the right amount of restraint in the verses and instrumental treatment. Angie
Bruyere’s phrasing is the crucial final ingredient.
The unusual time signature of the title song gives
Bruyere and the band a chance to create a memorable musical and lyrical
statement unlike any before. Their ability to pull it off seamlessly, each part
cleanly interlocking with the next, helps “You” be one of the EP’s most
satisfying performances. “17 Days” and “When the Nighttime Comes” are quite the
contrast and certainly show some forethought – there’s a tangible rise in
tension culminating with the latter song. “17 Days” gives listeners a gentle
nudge from the outset and never relents. This honkytonk number has a light
swagger and Bruyere locks in tightly with its swing. Guitar theatrics have a
presence on the EP’s second to last track, “When the Nighttime Comes”, and it
recalls the way bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd might have employed it. The rock
strains never take over, however, and the undercurrent of mandolin and acoustic
guitar supporting the song is constant. You will find a lot of favor from
Bruyere’s current fans, but this should win over a bunch of new converts as
well. Few artists, particularly younger, have tapped so successfully into the
spirit of this music while coloring it with their own experiences, ambitions,
and personality.
9 out of 10 stars
Dale Butcher
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