Nickel Creek

Celebrants – Repair

While known as a bluegrass band, I think pigeonholing their sound to a certain genre does Nickel Creek a disservice. There are hints of true folk americana and shades of old country. They are all tangentially connected, of course, but their sounds can vary from classical to rock, as it inhibits several spaces and moods. Either way – however you want to classify them, they sound great – and this album is a brilliant showcase for their immense talent and voices.

Chris Thile, Sara Watkins, and Sean Watkins have been producing music as Nickel Creek since 1989, and the Southern California trio have put out a total of seven albums, which include this bright new one, Celebrants. This is their first in nine years, and you can tell that they have forged an album that is both vibrant and joyful – hand-clapping, toe-tapping music. This is a massive 18 tracks (two of which are instrumental) that fills in the gaps of the years with narratives of love, living in one’s bubble, and of liberation of the soul.

The first line of the title track, “Celebrants,” is “My God, it’s good to see you”, this amid the chorus of claps as background just hits into a fun rhythm that paces the album from track one to eighteen. While it may have religious messages, I think it plays more as a reunion of souls, with undertones of the joy of spending quality time with a loved one. Track 8 is a bit of a rocker, in terms of Nickel Creek’s repertoire – “Where the Long Line Leads” has a honky-tonk beat and vibe. Track 18, “Failure Isn’t Forever,” is an uplifting tune that has the guitar and mandolin strumming together, while violin fills in the spaces. “Strangers,” track 2 picks up the pace as the song moves through the story – coming together and remembrance.

My favorites on here: 1**, 13**, 8**, *2, 10*, 6* and 18*.

– (h)earwitness