I bought a car this week, and this will be my first review in years where under Rule #4 (see sidebar) I was driving, rather than walking while I listened.
Disc 1436 is…. Water Dog
Artist: Kelly McFarling
Year of Release: 2017
What’s up with the Cover? Kelly McFarling, obscured partly by shadows. If she were to stand there long enough, she might get a cool suntan effect. Kind of a “navy seal with camo paint” effect or maybe “Braveheart at the beach”.
How I Came To Know It: Kelly McFarling and Megan Keely (performing together under the name Sparkbox), were the opening act to a Frances Luke Accord show Sheila and I went to in San Francisco back in 2017. I liked what I heard and so bought a couple of McFarling’s solo albums (Keely’s as well) at the merch table. You can check out my review of Sparkbox as part of my Frances Luke Accord album review back at Disc 1051.
Unless you already know you don’t like the opening act at a concert, you should show up on time and give them a listen. Frankly, even if you don’t like them, give them a second chance. It’ll get you a better seat, you might discover some fine music but above all, it is rude to arrive late to an event. Be an adult and come on time. That said, if you are going to talk through the opening act, please do not show up early. That’s even more rude. In fact, if you come to concerts just to talk through any portion of them, please don’t show up at all. The rest of us have come to listen to music.
How It Stacks Up: I have two Kelly McFarling albums. It is hard to choose between the two. Partly because they are so different, but for now I’ll rank “Water Dog” #1.
Ratings: 4 stars
Kelly McFarling is an example of how ephemeral fame can be, particularly on the indie folk scene. The difference between getting 400 Youtube hits and 50,000 is less a matter of talent and more a matter of luck and marketing. San Francisco singer-songwriter McFarling has the voice and writing talent to go far, and if she hasn’t become widely famous, she has still carved out a career of which she can be proud.
My earlier record of McFarling’s, “Ridgeline,” is a rustic exploration of contemporary folk. By contrast I found “Water Dog” possessed a fuller, more rounded sound. Her vocals, always edging a bit toward a whisper, whispers even more insistently here, leaving you with the impression that she’s got some secrets to impart. It feels like they are happy secrets; life hacks on how to live a more relaxed and self-examined life.
While I missed the sharp contrast of McFarling’s banjo playing on “Ridgeline” here she dissolves her considerable talents into the mix more completely. It creates a liquid effect that pairs well with the record’s title. “Country” is a strong example of this, with a relaxed guitar pick pattern that is slightly diffuse, chilling you out underscoring how finding your place in the country might be as easy as looking.
McFarling goes all in with the water theme on “Pacific”. If you’ve never waded out into the Pacific Ocean and been overcome by her beauty, I recommend you do so. If you happen to live in Nebraska and can’t do this, McFarling’s mood piece will give you an approximation of the experience.
I’m always a sucker for an album with strong bookends and “Water Dog” did not disappoint. The opening track “Both” has McFarling’s banjo at its easy and graceful best, and benefits from a catchy melody, inspired arrangement, and a whole lot of song dynamics that’ll have you doing hippy dance spins on a forest trail…or just imagining you did.
At the other end we have “The Storms Are Getting Stronger.” This time that fluid guitar takes centre stage, alongside McFarling’s sweet and airy vocals at their very best. It reminded me favourably of Alela Diane’s work with its pastoral whimsy.
This crazy pandemic can induce a lot of anxiety and uncertainty in life, but if you need a break from it all, and just want to lay back and relax into an easy state of grace for 45 minutes, “Water Dog” is an excellent place to find such solace.
Best tracks: Both, Spring Clean, Country, Pacific, Box, The Storms Are Getting Stronger
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