Andew Weathers Ensemble - Were Not Cautious

Composer and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Weathers has released numerous solo works and collaborations over the past few years. He is one half of Full Spectrum records, the other being Andrew Marino, however this LP is released on Sleep on the Floor.

'We're Not Cautious' features Weathers own guitars, banjo, organ, percussion, voice, and electronics talents together with seven other musicians thus forming the ensemble, and extending the breadth of instrumentation to include cello, guitar, flute, sax, voices and more electronics. With so many component parts it is difficult especially for the new comer, to predict what we might hear. Thankfully We're Not Cautious is an album which will take you by surprise, for it is one that picks you off your feet and suspends all expectations or constraints you may have of how these instruments 'should' be played and sound.

Whilst there is certainly a strong vein of twanging guitar and plucked banjo, and an equally strong leaning towards an Americana aesthetic, Weathers and troup move things into a more experimental environment. Drones are intertwined with cello and violin, electronics and samples blend with guitar and effected vocals.  Whilst some experimental works can feel disparate or cold, this is quite the opposite. Weathers' compositions seem to describe scenes or memories of light, and more precisely, of the sun.  In fact every track creates wonderful nostalgic images of eyes watering from staring at the sun (Face Up to the Sun), or the end of Summer, and beginning of autumn/fall (Left Arm Sunburnt (Iowa Mix)).

Weathers also brings a tongue-in-cheek feel with lyrics such as 'who will rock the cradle when I'm gone?', and a ramshackle rendition of tradition gospel song 'Down to the River to Pray' also featured in the Coen Brothers film 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?'. This is followed by the emotive banjo and strings on 'Ecstatic, Unchanging' - which rises, and seems to settle into itself before stuttered and electronically effected vocals add a ghostly tone but very real urgency. The track plays out the same chord progression with slight variations and ever increasing tension before ebbing away.

Even in the final minutes of 'To Burn Yourself Completely' the track reprises for two minutes of almost no sound, demanding the listener to listen hard, to participate. The first half of last track Seaworthy, being solely of loosely recorded live banjo and voice unpredictably ends with quiet electronic synth drone.

A tremendous amalgam of instruments, electronics and voice, all composed and played with an adventurous, yet tender nature.  I can not recommend 'We're Not Cautious' highly enough, this will be my sound of the Spring, and quite possibly the Summer too.

Available from Sleep on the Floor here

http://soundcloud.com/andrewweathers