The Seattle-based Paula Boggs Band unveils their fifth long player, Sumatra, whose title was borrowed from the boldly flavored coffee grown in Indonesia. The band’s sound has been aptly described as ‘soulgrass.’
The band is made up of Paula (vocals, guitar, ukulele), David Salonen (bass, fiddle, vocals), Tor Dietrichson (percussion, vocals), Paul Matthew Moore (keyboards, accordion, vocals), Daniel Walker (synth, mellotron, accordion, piano), Darren Loucas (banjo, guitar, harmonica, lap steel, vocals), and Jacob Evans (drums).
Sumatra also features The Blind Boys of Alabama and Valerie June, who appear on the protest anthem, “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round.”
Talking about the song, Valerie June says, “This collaboration is a perfect balm for these times when great positive change and shifts are needed worldwide. I am thrilled to work with Paula Boggs and the Blind Boys of Alabama on this motivational song of inspiration.”
Paula chimes in, sharing, “’Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Round’ is a spiritual in the folk tradition, carried by oral history and reborn as a Civil Rights anthem. Rooted in call-and-response of the Black church—where worship was also resistance—it closes ‘Sumatra’ the album as a bookend of faith and resolve, answering the album’s opening Gregorian prayer that urges listeners to ‘wake up.’ This banjo and fiddle-driven arrangement honors voices that will not be silenced, with an original bridge urging listeners to ‘get on board.’ Adding the singular contributions of legendary Blind Boys of Alabama and Americana powerhouse Valerie June magnifies a 21st-century call to action: ‘keep on marching to Freedom Land!'”
Other guest artists include the Evensong Choir of Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, James Falzone (penny whistle), and Josh Neumann (cello).
Of the 10 tracks on Sumatra, suggested entry points include the title track, which opens the album. Beautifully wrought, the intro features resonant Gregorian chanting voices that transition into an Americana-flavored melody. Listen carefully to the finessed drums and percussion on this song – bravura. On the outro, the tempo shifts and the chanting voices reemerge, forming a grand finale.
A personal favorite because of its low-slung blend of folk and country elements, the melodic motion of “Still Grateful” is induced by a soft piano and a gently sawing fiddle. A song of thanksgiving, the vocals narrate a tale of deep gratitude for a life partner.
“Note to Quinn” rolls out on swampy, psychedelic surfaces and then settles into a drifting soulgrass melody dripping with blues tangs. For some reason, the song conjures up memories of Eric Burdon and War.
On “Traces of You,” a sad, almost elegiac song, Neumann’s cello reveals aching emotions and deep sorrow. Whereas “The Snow It Melts The Soonest” rides lightly prowling guitars that flicker and gleam with folk extracts. Falzone’s penny whistle evokes wistful tones, as soft, glowing harmonies lend the tune a longing dimension.
The album closes with “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Round,” a folk spiritual that’s worth the price of admission all by itself. According to Paula, “It closes ‘Sumatra’ the album as a bookend of faith and resolve, answering the album’s opening Gregorian prayer that urges listeners to ‘wake up.’”
Sitting somewhere between Americana and bluegrass, with Sumatra, The Paula Boggs Band delivers a delightful album full of flourishes.
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