Swainn’s remastered Under a Willow Tree should prompt a thorough re-evaluation of the Arizona-based band’s eleven-song release. Listeners have long accepted that it has quality songwriting. However, introducing new bassist Rob MacIntosh into the mix and refurbishing several guitar parts soups up an already high-powered engine. It revitalizes already vibrant songs with a newfound edge that cuts deep into the listener’s consciousness. Under a Willow Tree draws blood in every incarnation. The jovial fury burning bright in the heart of many Swainn songs makes their Celtic folk/punk essential listening for anyone valuing energetic and intelligent songcraft.
The first track, “Voices”, makes it clear they are convincing top-flight songwriters. Neil Jay Ward interprets the material well and unleashes the dire warning of the song’s chorus with unapologetic fire. The opener delivers audiences the sound of a band locked in, for sure, and the synthesis of punk rock attitude with the traditional-minded bent of Swainn’s instrumentation is an instant hit. The album’s second cut, “Bag o’ Bones”, illustrates some of the low-key aspirations Swainn harbors for these songs. It has a stronger philosophical tilt than we’re arguably used to from bands such as Swainn and their ilk but never risks pretentiousness. It testifies to the band’s songwriting talents that they can expand their focus without losing their essential voice.
The life-affirming qualities of “Take Action” are unmistakable. The arrangement pairs Mandy Lubking’s fierce fiddle riffing with Neil Jay Ward’s sinewy distorted guitar contributions with outstanding effect, but Brian Daily’s drumming supplies tremendous energy. He’s a key spark plug at varied points during Under a Willow Tree. “Let’s Get Loose” sparkles with swirling energies that pull listeners fast into its vortex. Ward’s delicious vocals are sometimes between a snarl and slur, quite effectively so, and the fun he’s having with this song is audible.
The roof-raising properties of “Sink or Float” are enough to make it one of the album’s best numbers. It’s clear why Swainn holds it in reserve until Under a Willow Tree’s second half; it’s a powerhouse personal statement that sets the course forward for this band until the end. The Lubkings, Wake on banjo, and mandolin are tailor-made musical “foils” for Neil Jay Ward’s talents, and few songs better typify their shared chemistry than “Sink or Float”.
“Up on the Mountain” alternates between a juggernaut fiddle-driven attack and pared-down hard rock guitar riffing. It provides a riveting effect. Stretching out their usual songwriting mandate to a near four and a half minutes pays off for Swainn; the band never risks losing your attention, and the song’s expanded structure develops in a predictable yet satisfying way. The album’s penultimate tune is “Brand New Day”, but it’ll work as a true climax for many.
It keeps the same brisk pace shared by much of the band’s catalog. However, Swainn tempers the breakneck rush that often characterizes their music in favor of a less manic thrust. “Brand New Day” lacks the seeming clutter of assorted earlier arrangements. Swainn isn’t trying to do everything at once here, yet remains high energy, and the effect comes at an excellent place in Under a Willow Tree’s running order. Swainn’s remaster of an album that isn’t even five years old never seems supercilious; it’s a band refining a crucial past release so that posterity judges it in the clearest light.
Claire Uebelacker