No sophomore slump here this St. Louis band builds on its debut, No Kinder Room, with a beautiful but sturdy set of alt-country that puts it squarely in the tradition of other 90s Midwestern bands while still staking its own place on that well-trod ground.
A mood of weary and uneasy melancholy prevails in both the songs and the playing sometimes its a bit much and would benefit from a change of pace here or there. But thats a minor quibble. The songs credited to the whole band are full of observations that seem amusing on one listen, bitter or sad the next.
But its Wagons rich musicianship that really lifts Anniversary above the crowd. The standout is Chris Peterson, a former Arkansas state champion fiddler, who also plays mandolin, lap dulcimer and banjo. But the whole quartet shines. Augmented by a few guests who contribute such instruments as organ, mandola, dobro, cello and flugel_horn, Wagon plays just what the songs require, with no unnecessary showiness.
