Flock of Dimes
Head of Roses: Phantom Limb
Sub Pop
Apr 26, 2022 Web Exclusive
Expanded or deluxe versions of albums have been a thing for a long time. What has become more common of late, and perhaps a financial necessity, are expanded versions of albums that follow quickly on the heels of the original recording. Head of Roses by Jenn Wasner’s Flock of Dimes solo project was one of the most beautiful and reflective releases of 2021, and one certainly worthy of further exploration with the new release Head of Roses: Phantom Limb. Less than half of the tracks on the hour-long collection are demos, alternate takes, or live versions of Head of Roses tracks, making its exploration an essential duty of any fan of Wasner’s work.
Of the six alternate versions of the core album tracks, the three recorded live at Sylvan Esso’s Betty’s studio are simply stunning, with harmonies by Mountain Man and a full backing band. The lithe take on “Two” is not in the least bit cluttered by the additional musicians, but instead exudes a new level of warmth with Wasner’s vocals evidencing more than a year’s worth of comfort living in the song. “Awake for the Sunrise” benefits similarly from a lived in feel and a soaring electric guitar solo. If there is a Wasner song most likely to have broad crossover appeal or one ripe for a Sheryl Crow cover, “Awake for the Sunrise” is it. The least effective of the alternate takes is the Tiny Desk version of “Price of Blue” that ranges a little too far over its six-minute course. It was a bit of an outlier on the original album given Meg Duffy’s scorching guitar work and ends up the same here for different reasons.
The clear highlights of Phantom Limb are the two solo piano and vocal takes on “Like So Much Desire” and the closing “Spring in Winter.” Wasner’s emotive skills on the grand piano and aching vocals will have you scrambling to her catalog to find out where you may have heard these before. Both are pulled from 2020’s Like So Much Desire EP, but benefit greatly from the stripped down approach. “Spring in Winter” follows shortly after Wasner’s cover of Joni Mitchell’s “Amelia,” and sits easily alongside the legendary songwriter’s work. The cover of Joan Armatrading’s “The Weakness in Me,” highlights a woefully overlooked songwriter and Wasner’s vocals are more than supple enough to cover the nuances of the arrangement.
The newly presented originals on Phantom Limb consist of four tracks. Two being outtakes from Head of Roses, the woozy groove of “Go With Good,” gives it a nudge over the less substantial “Wonder.” The opening track, “It Just Goes On,” is the best of the new originals and coming after the Head of Roses’ recording sessions shows that Wasner’s star is continuing to rise. The jazz guitar inflection of “Through Me,” that sounds a little too much like George Benson’s “On Broadway” is about to break out, sits alongside “Price of Blue” as Phantom Limb’s only skippable section.
Already one of the hardest working artists in the indie realm (as well as being one-half of Wye Oak, Wasner is also a touring member of Bon Iver outside of her own projects), Phantom Limb shows Wasner’s strengths as a bandleader on the Betty’s tracks and a master interpreter of her own works on the solo piano tracks. The album’s cover art shows Wasner’s face much more in focus than the impressionistic manipulations of Head of Roses’ original artwork. Likewise, bringing Wasner’s voice and songwriting skills into clearer focus with a more organic slate of instrumentation and supporting musicians is what Phantom Limb does best. (www.flockofdimes.com)
Author rating: 8/10
Average reader rating: 3/10
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