This is an album of well-crafted contemporary folk tunes dominated by themes of hope and renewal. The simplicity and directness of the music is reflected in the colourful album cover painted by 8-year-old Zia Kypta-Keith.
Most of the songs take their cues from nature where animal behaviour, climatic conditions, forests in bloom and the cycles of the sun and moon are treated as positive signifiers of change.
In Western Sky, for instance, Dave McGraw sings of how "the snow of the season has given me hope and has given me reason". In Once Was it is the colour of the sky ("awful green ....bluer than hell) which is the taken as a guide to a changing world.
The album title, and track of the same name, uses the seed as a symbol of rebirth. Serotiny adopts the same metaphor by being named after the process in which long dormant pine cones and other plants come to life when exposed to excessive heat, like in a forest fire.
The latter song, however, also includes a reminder that the world is not full of universal sweetness and light by noting that "the heart is a landscape of violence and joy".
Nevertheless, the recurring message is that the natural world is where the riches lie and Forget The Diamonds reinforces this point by advising against putting faith in worldly goods.
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The twosome share song writing credits with five songs by Mandy Fer (pronounced 'fair') and six by Dave McGraw.
They sing their own songs and, while his gruff baritone makes a neat foil to her purer pitch, it would also have been nice to hear a few harmonies. As it stands it could almost be classified as a split album rather than as the work of a duo.
The album was recorded in Chicago, produced by Zach Goheen, and includes contributions from Wisconsin singer-songwriter Peter Mulvey, Po’Girl songstress Allison Russell, and Chicago’s JT Nero (of JT and the Clouds).
It has a nice rustic Americana feel which blends well with some cool blues and smooth jazz touches on electric guitar, piano, cello and violin.
If you enjoy artists like John Martyn, Patty Griffin and Calexico you'll find much to love in this album.
Dave McGraw's website
Mandy Fer's website
Dave and Mandy's website
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