The Cave Singers : Welcome Joy :: Review
Sophomore albums are typically when a band loses the plot. The sophomore album is fraught with decision making by a band that doesn’t want to stick with their original sound in the fear that it has gone stale. In the case of most sophomore albums, it’s either rushed and the results are half-crocked or the band attempts new sounds, switches producers and generally tries to shake things up a bit to remain fresh. Both of these scenarios typically result in a crappy album that is abhorred by the fans and the band is forgotten as another flavor of the month takes its place. Every once in a while, lightning strikes twice and the band are capable of honing their skills and progressively expanding their sound. Happily, the latter is the case for The Cave Singer’s “Welcome Joy.”
Capitalizing on their homespun folk sound, “Welcome Joy” sounds like the band has been listening to a whole lot of Led Zeppelin III and early 70’s era Fleetwood Mac. The album has this wood-paneled warm glow about it and feels like it was recorded in someone’s basement rather than a studio. Pete Quirk ‘s vocals times recall a combination of Arlo Guthrie and Lindsey Buckingham at times and add to the down home atmosphere that this album conjures. “Summer Windows” has a campfire vibe as it features a percussive guitar riff that wraps around Quirk’s reedy vocal. The album keeps building from that track as the country inflected “Leap” gets the album moving with Marty Lund’s ace drumming.
“Shrine” is a pensive number that has a trace of backwoods gospel to it, but it’s “Beach House” that really shines as the album’s centerpiece. Beach House features a quiet guitar intro and a steady drumbeat that builds to a hearty resolution. What follow this high point are country-ish folk done very well. The deft and emotional closer, “Welcome Joy” offers a summary of what came before in terms of mood and ability and that leads me to believe that The Cave Singers have not only created an album for the fall but are following a blueprint for future success.
Rating: 
