The Wandering Hearts return with their 3rd full-length studio album ‘Mother’ which encapsulates the experience of both Francesca ‘Chess’ Whiffin and Tara Wilcox (2/3rds of the band) as motherhood changes their perspective on life whilst also charting the course and capturing the growth and rebirth of the band with a new (yet of course somewhat old), 70s sound, as the trio is rounded out by A.J. Dean.
As their press release writes, “You could think of it as a long-lost seventies album originally made in Laurel Canyon and dusted off in some vintage London record store 50 years later.” This is definitely true as vintage sounds permeate the album with dead, old school drums and strummed acoustic guitars, all tied together with simple, lush three-part harmonies. My last encounter with the band was in Nashville, TN, back in September 2023 for Americana Fest, playing in a very small bar, off-Broadway as a trio with two guitars. Hearing these songs in this guise on the record is a stark contrast and really gives their sound a makeover.
Track 1, ‘About America’ delivers a departure from the typical formula, boasting a lengthy 24-second intro that sets the tone for the record. The track exudes a folksy ambiance, characterised by the chord progression in the chorus that resonates with the genre. Drawing parallels to Nickel Creek’s instrumentation, the song is guitar-driven with subtle acoustic percussion and a vintage, retrospective bass sound. One notable feature of the track, and indeed the album, is the use of unusual panned female vocals. This creative choice adds depth and dimension to the overall sound, complementing the tight and smooth harmonies that punctuate the track. One criticism would be that due to the folk-like refrain nature of the track, that by around the 3-minute mark, it does feel like we’ve very much heard it all – but perhaps that’s the 2024 perspective in me, taking a moment to adjust.
‘Still Waters’ dives deeper into the album with a noticeable edge, incorporating elements synonymous with 70s rock such as the introduction of the organ and drums that maintain a classic backbeat feel, evoking memories of anthems from the era. The track takes on a Fleetwood Mac-like quality, with slide guitar and electric guitar elements weaving through the arrangement. The bridge particularly stands out with its intricate vocal arrangement, featuring contrapuntal vocals overlapping to create a lush and dynamic texture. Lyrically, the track takes on a more metaphorical style, delving into the internal struggles and sentiments of motherhood. Lines like “My body’s made up, but my mind is a mess, so hard to focus when I feel like this” capture the complexity and turmoil of the experience.
Track 3, ‘Tired’, infuses the 70s vibe with a subtle Latin flavour, evident in its rhythmic elements and the rasgueado strums of the acoustic guitar. The song maintains a simple structure with subtle variations, allowing ample space for the lyrics to take centre stage. The plea for forgiveness—”please forgive me, I’ll be better than I am”—resonates with a universal sentiment. In a busy world, it will no doubt strike a chord with listeners; it’s a poignant reminder of the importance of forgiveness and self-reflection, a sentiment to which I’m sure many can relate.
‘Letter To Myself’ opens with a classic Carole King-inspired piano part, evoking the sound of her iconic album, Tapestry. The simplicity of the strummed acoustic guitar further enhances this nostalgic aesthetic, transporting listeners back to an era of introspective singer-songwriter music.
The lyrics carry a message of acceptance and resilience, emphasising that one doesn’t have to have everything figured out in life. There’s a sense of freedom in embracing uncertainty and living in the moment. As the song progresses, it takes a harmonic step up in the bridge, a classic songwriting technique that adds depth and progression to the music. While familiar, it certainly helps move the track forward here. The outro gently returns to the refrain, “get on a Train to Philadelphia,” before fading out (no one does those anymore!), leaving you feeling like you’ve just been transported 50 years back in time.
‘Hold Your Tongue’ emerges as another introspective piece within the album’s familiar thread of self-reflection. What sets it apart is its expansive sound, which diverges from the gentler tone of previous tracks. Infused with a robust rock flavour, the song boasts a dynamic arrangement characterised by gnarlier bass lines and guitars. The tom-driven groove in the verses adds a pulsating energy, driving the track forward.
Structurally, “Hold Your Tongue” defies modern convention, featuring a multi-part composition with numerous sections.
‘Waiting’ brings A.J. to the forefront, leading the vocals in this poignant track that delves into the theme of waiting for change in love. The song begins with a delicate fingerpicked acoustic guitar intro, setting a serene tone that underlines the introspective nature of the lyrics.
As the song progresses, it explores the sentiment of waiting for transformation within a relationship, only to realise that “love was not enough to make you change”. This realisation adds a layer of depth and vulnerability to the song’s narrative, resonating with listeners who have experienced similar emotional journeys. Musically, “Waiting” harkens back to classic folk traditions, evoking a sense of nostalgia with its open acoustic guitar fingerpicking and simple three-part harmonies. The almost lo-fi quality of the acoustic recording enhances the track’s rootsy vibe, stands as a stark contrast to Hold Your Tongue before it.
‘Dance Again’ captures the timeless notion of returning to a former lover despite the inevitable challenges that may arise. The repetition of “No doubt we’ll hate it, but we’ll dance again” underscores the bittersweet nature of such reunions, where conflicting emotions collide. The song begins with a piano intro again reminiscent of Tapestry. Simple brush playing on the snare drum and a subtle string arrangement provide a minimalist yet evocative backdrop, allowing the focus to remain on the band’s signature harmonies. With a more live performance feel, ‘Dance Again’ exudes authenticity and intimacy, drawing listeners into the emotional core of the song. However, the string break in the bridge may feel abrupt and unresolved to some listeners, interrupting the flow of the track. Whilst no doubt a conscious decision, it may detract from the overall listening satisfaction for some.
‘Not Misunderstood’ injects a renewed sense of purpose into the album, with an assertive opening setting a tone of determination and resolve. The driving four-to-the-floor kick drum propels the song forward with undeniable energy, marking a departure from the subdued mood of the previous tracks. Seemingly drawing inspiration from Fleetwood Mac’s iconic Rumours album, ‘Not Misunderstood’ incorporates elements of tension and urgency. However, the song also infuses a touch of the Deep South, evident in its choice of effects and percussion, which lends it a swampy, rootsy quality, reminiscent of the band’s earlier country direction.
‘River to Cry’ is another track unashamedly following those long 70s intros, building you up before that vocal kicks in (or maybe begging for a press of the skip button in this TikTok generation!). The track is pretty much divisible in two, with a slow simple acoustic first half, interspersed with acoustic licks and harmonies. This is followed by a double time second half noted by the emergence of an inverted pedal note in the electric guitar and 8th note tom build-up throughout. It builds in intensity and the way it crescendos, again, shows up as a fairly obvious reference to Rumours and particularly ‘The Chain’. The repeated lyrical phrase of “I never wanted you to see me cry, there’s no easy way to say goodbye” through the whole section further enhances this comparison. Maybe it’s too close to comfort for me, but it certainly does its job of raising the tension and intensity of the track.
The familiar flow of the record once again comes to the fore with a more lullaby-like feel in ‘Will You Love Me’ after the intensity of River to Cry. The track is beautifully innocent feeling and very vulnerable, with a solo vocal for the majority. “If I promise this is what I’ll do, will you love me like I do you” delivers the feeling of sacrifice, giving everything you can for one you love yet “there are no guarantees and I understand that, but one day we won’t be here and we won’t be coming back” acts as its perfect counterbalance, that this is without demand, with hope that it will be reciprocated, but it will be given in spite if this. It’s beautiful stuff, gorgeously delivered and sung with real sincerity. The simple arrangement with light strumming of mandolin, piano that holds down the metric feel of the track, and bass played high up throughout is unusual, but adds to the vulnerability of the track – there’s no strong foundation here. The use of an augmented chord in the chorus also pulls us and plays with us, just as the finest musical theatre composers of our time have used harmony to colour and set the scene. If it isn’t already obvious, this song really touched me both musically and emotionally. It’s different to the rest of the album with those signature harmonies only lightly touching down in the final seconds of the track. The focus is on the lyrics here in a way that is not so evident throughout the rest of the record.
‘What Fools Believe’ blends the energetic sound of Mumford and Sons with the timeless charm of traditional country music. The use of a train beat as the driving rhythm evokes imagery of a locomotive chugging along, adding a sense of momentum to the song. Those drums are interwoven with tremolo guitars which further emphasise the country element to this one. Listeners may also detect echoes of Kacey Musgraves’ authentic style from her earlier records with this track, particularly reminiscent of her song ‘Follow Your Arrow.’ ‘What Fools Believe’ is a short and sweet offering that leads the listener back to a high and serves as a fitting conclusion to the album.
In summary, Mother, offers a decent variety of tracks, sticking faithfully to authentic instrumentation that evokes a strong 70s aesthetic. While this commitment to the era’s sound is commendable, it sometimes feels limiting, like the 70s was the brief and there was no option to marry some more contemporary elements or songwriting techniques to that old-school sound. There is a strong reliance on the three-part harmonies throughout which may be why ‘Will You Love Me’ stands out so much. It’s a shame in many ways it’s track 10 as it deserves more airtime than it will probably get. No doubt one for the hardcore fans and album deep-divers. There is a good, if predictable, ebb and flow throughout the record and there are definite crescendo moments followed by the serene.
For those who love that 70s aesthetic with a touch of turn-of-the-decade Woodstock-evoking songwriting, this will no doubt be a record for you. For those of a modern persuasion it may be a little more challenging, and to some younger listeners may verge on strange. But a quick listen back through some of those classic 70s records and it will quickly become clear that this is well-trodden ground and has in many ways been done before. But don’t get me wrong, this is certainly done well and could definitely sneak into a 70s playlist, probably without many knowing. This is a record that won’t appeal to everyone, but those who love it are really going to love it and are sure to cherish its vintage charm dearly.
Tracklist: 1. About America 2. Still Waters 3. Tired 4. Letter To Myself 5. Hold Your Tongue 6. Waiting 7. Dance Again 8. Not Misunderstood 9. River To Cry 10. Will You Love Me 11. What Fools Believe Release Date: 22nd March Record Label: Chrysalis Records Buy ‘Mother’ right here.
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