Third Studio Album Showcases An Expressive Traditional Confident Voice

On her ten-track third studio album “Cider,” singer-songwriter Gwyneth Moreland starts with a nifty 50’s-60’s style track that is a delight: “Movin’ On.”  The song has some melodic acoustic guitar and David Hayes’ harmonica to keep the tune upbeat and potent. She has a voice that is country-folk flexible like Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch, and Shawn Colvin. Nothing quirky or outrageous. Just sweet, and attractive.

Little Bird,” finds Ms. Moreland’s voice rich with Americana and her lyric pronunciation is exhilarating. This from a native Northern Californian. Moreland has the nuances and countrified confidence of singers that were planted in Appalachian soil and she uses this all to her advantage. She has successfully absorbed the traditions without a doubt.

There’s a documentary about the music that came out of the Coen Brothers’ film “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?” with“  George Clooney. That film introduced many moviegoers to bluegrass, country, and folk traditions of another musical world. The accompanying documentary was called “Down from the Mountain,” and it was filled with legendary artists of that genre who performed the songs that were included in the film.

There’s a moment where Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch, and Alison Krauss sing “Didn’t Leave Nobody but the Baby,” – and this song reminds me of Gwyneth. I feel she would have been an ideal addition to this trio of great women vocalists for this kind of song. This is how comfortable and expressive Ms. Moreland’s voice is. Is it old-fashioned? No, not necessarily. It is traditional in spirit. It has a soul, it has a fascinating pedigree. Voices like this from the past and with today’s technology show how Ms. Moreland’s reflective power renders the songs quite modern with the necessary beauty and a wet with rain dirt scent.

“Eloise,” is radiant. The musicians support Ms. Moreland but manage to maintain that back porch deep South sound of personal and poignant. This is a woman with finely tuned musical gifts. Honed by years of listening to everyone from Bob Dylan, the Carter Family, and Nanci Griffith. These are ideal influences for a young lady like Gwyneth and while I am assuming she has listened to these people — she certainly does have their spirit running through her fine presentation.

“The California Zephyr” is definitely a page taken from the Nanci Griffith songbook. And Ms. Moreland is excellent. Acoustic guitars and banjo with such a distinctive voice. It’s the necessary butter on the ear of musical corn. But don’t misunderstand me, the song is not corny. This is flavorful. This is invigorating.  Sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eHy_oP4Vvk

Moreland doesn’t hesitate to admit that she loves the old-timey three-part harmonies. With the right voices, it is a great sound. Gwyneth plays often with multi-instrumentalist David Hayes (bassist on many Van Morrison LP’s), and Morgan Daniel (Ms. Moreland’s brother) on guitar in addition to Gene Parsons (former Byrds-Flying Burrito Brothers) on pedal steel, banjo, and harmony vocals.

With a nice banjo, Gwyneth continues in her Nanci Griffith-type tradition with the wonderfully melodic “Danny Parker.” A story song that is rendered vividly and beautifully.  Sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qk5K6ggxA9I

A little trivia for older readers: Ms. Moreland’s aunt was the late Oscar-winning actress Donna Reed who played opposite Burt Lancaster, Frank Sinatra and Montgomery Clift in the classic film “From Here to Eternity.” Later Ms. Reed had her own comedy TV show that ran for many years. In her later career, she was also cast in the classic TV drama “Dallas.” Quite good genes I would say (I was in love with Donna Reed when I was a kid).

The title track “Cider” is a slow enchanting song while the final track “Summer Song,” is one of the strongest songs on the collection. It’s not a rocker or pensive folk tale – just a wonderfully melodic well-arranged song that suits Gwyneth’s voice admirably. This is a fine showcase for Ms. Moreland. The melody winds around hauntingly and the support of the many musicians in her lineup never get in her way. I enjoy particularly how Gwyneth pronounces her lyrics. It allows her to have a signature sound besides just the tone of her voice. Her phrasing and intonation are excellent. As the song concludes she picks up the beat and the 38-minute album ends with an optimistic emphasis. I like the ruralness of the album and I believe that Ms. Moreland has achieved her goal: Creating homegrown music that others can relate to and appreciate.

Sample:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsP039shj2Y

The album was produced, engineered and mixed by David Hayes and recorded in Fort Bragg, CA. The CD design was created by Meredith Gross and includes six bright red apples on a burlap-like background. It’s a four-panel package and unfortunately, they did not include a lyric booklet. Maybe next time. There are many musicians involved with this project — all offered excellent support.

Website: http://www.gwynethmoreland.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GwynethMorelandMusic/

Music Samples from Website: http://www.gwynethmoreland.com/music/

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John Apice / No Depression / November 2017