Celebrants
Celebrants sounds like a meeting everyone has been looking forward to. Nickel Creek use their close interaction for music that can change direction constantly. Mandolin, guitar and fiddle respond quickly to each other. The voices sometimes join as one, while retaining plenty of individual character. Warmth fortunately leaves room for unrest.
The title track begins with stamping, clapping and group singing. It soon becomes clear that this will offer more than a collection of tidy acoustic songs. Strangers lets the melodies flow more freely. Sara Watkins' fiddle pushes the development forward while the singing gradually reduces the distance between old friends.
Holding Pattern chooses a gentler approach, with Sean Watkins at the front. The arrangement stays active even there. On Where the Long Line Leads, Sara gives her voice much more force. Guitar plays harder and the band convincingly reveal the rock side of their sound.
The instrumentals provide highlights of their own. Going Out… connects fast mandolin and guitar with a melody that the fiddle takes over. The track can briefly pull back before moving forward again. On …Despite the Weather, warmer mandolin and sometimes eerie fiddle have a different kind of conversation.
With eighteen tracks, the record asks for time. Recurring themes and brief connections work best when you follow the whole sequence. The music concerns friendship and closeness, but also ageing and uncertainty. Those subjects keep the happier passages from becoming too easy.
Failure Isn't Forever closes with cautious optimism. It suits an album where pleasure in playing and experience strengthen each other. Celebrants presents musicians still keen to explore their shared possibilities, with strong melodies providing a clear way through the changes.
