The Reneaus

Jeg falt pladask for The Reneaus da de sendte meg sin første plate Room For Roses i 2011. Jeg har holdt øye med bandet siden da, og nå er de endelig klare med oppfølgeren The Season. En plate som tydelig viser at bandet har utviklet seg siden 2011. Lydbildet har modnet kraftig, og sounden har endret seg litt – men hovedelementene som gjorde at jeg likte den første platen er fortsatt i fokus.

Først og fremst så gjelder det stemmen til Ashley Cooper Winn, som nå synger enda bedre enn hun gjorde på Room For Roses. Hun høres ut som en krysning mellom Adele, Lucinda Williams, Caitlin Rose og Amy Winehouse. Forrige plate hadde et sterkt preg av original alt. country, mens denne platen har tatt et steg nærmere soul.

Det er så elegant gjort, og med en slik energi og følelse at man ikke kan unngå å bli sugd inn i stemningene som Cooper Winn skaper. Men mange av elementene fra forrige plate er fortsatt tilstede, og vi får en helstøpt plate som det er umulig å ikke bli glad i. Jeg gleder meg til sene sommerkvelder på verandaen med denne platen i bakgrunnen.

Bandet består av Ashley Cooper Winn på vokal. Hun har også skrevet låtene, og spiller gitar på «Drift Away». Hennes kumpaner er Jon Winn på orgel og tangenger, Steven Page på gitar, David Page på trommer, Warren Guyer på bass og Layne Guyer på strykere og banjo. De har besøk av Zach Tichenor på orgel og piano, og Jeremiah Nave på vibrafon og orgel. Nave har også tatt seg av teknikken under innspillingen – og fungert som produsent sammen med The Reneaus.

De første to låtene «Firing Line» og «Without a View» viser oss hvor platen har tenkt å ta veien, med et soulfylt landskap som bare trekker oss inn i en mørk og dunkel bar – hvor vi blir stående ved baren, lamslått av soundet til bandet på scenen.

Old-time og folkemusikk er en tydelig inspirasjon i «The Thread», hvor Ashley får selskap av en banjo som tar låten til uante høyder. En elegant overgang til låten «Drift Away» – hvor en klassisk gitar og enkelt-toner fra et piano er eneste akkompagnement.

En bass som emulerer hjerteslag er grunnlaget for tittelsporet, den enorme «The Season». En låt som er like majestetisk som den er stor. Den har evnen til å fylle hele rommet med lyd helt på egenhånd.

Funky piano bygger fundamentet for «Fools», hvor Ashley Cooper Winn virkelig viser hva som bor i henne som vokalist. Stemmen maler store bilder og legger en stemning som er regelrett altoppslukende.

Så starter en snedig liten trilogi. Låtene «What You Gave», «What You Said» og «What You Need» gir oss tre låter hvor Ashley Cooper Winn atter viser hvor stor hun er. Fra en låt som legger soulstemmen litt til side, til fordel for noe Maria McKee kunne gjort på sin første soloplate – til en låt som hvor sjelen hennes etterpå ligger klistret fast i øregangene dine – før det avsluttes med låt hvor inspirasjonen fra 50-talles country blandes med Pink Floyd i en stemning som er helt unik. En løst sammensatt tematikk rundt forventinger, hva man faktisk sier og hva man ender opp med å få danner utgangspunktet, og bandet har her laget et monumentalt opus som er verdt platen alene.

Platen sniker seg så forsiktig ut døren med «There Is A Light», hvor Patsy Cline ligger som et fløyelsmykt teppe over hele låten.

Hvis jeg skulle velge ut platens beste spor, så hadde jeg neppe klart det. Den er så jevnt god, og inneholder så imponerende gode låter at det blir poengløst å måtte plukke. Hele platen er en lang stemning, og nytes best i sin helhet. - Dust of Daylight

It was about two years ago that the debut album by The Reneaus, "Room For Roses", landed itself on my desk. My desk, for one reason or another, has established itself as a destination for any and all audio recordings of both the solicited and unsolicited varieties...and I make a point to listen to everything at least once.

"Room For Roses" left the studio with me that night and enjoyed a two week stint in my truck's cd player. This is somewhat exceptional in that Americana music is one of my least favorite genres (I'll explain myself here a little later in the body of the review at hand). I don't know if it was because two of the band members were remote acquaintances through our respective musical paths or whether it was that the entire album had this dreamy vibe to it of getting behind the wheel and driving nowhere, out west maybe, for no reason...I didn't understand the lyrics, but something about their prosaic flow, coupled with the audio dreamscape of the compositions, compelled me to let this work play and replay itself en route during this period.

Fast-forward two years later and a video titled "The Reneaus - "Fools" (Live at the A-Frame)" caught my eye as it floated by on the facebook newsfeed. Daniel Peach's lenswork and video production is a perfect companion to the continuing dreamlike writing of the first song I heard off their sophomore release, "The Season"...or so I thought; the audio is an unbelievably sound live performance of the album version. Upon noticing the very subtle differences in the two versions I reached out to the band for clarification, as I couldn't wrap my head around so pristine a sound and performance of this complex and unconventional composition...Yep, it's live.

The following week I ran into the Reneaus' Layne Guyer (Viola, Fiddle, Banjo, assorted strings) backstage at Van Meter Auditorium during intermission of the "Bon Voyage" performance of the Symphony @ WKU before their historic tour of China, and immediately asked when the album was available..."It's out...you can get it on iTunes and Amazon..." I asked where I could locally get a hold of a hard copy (looking to put it to the drive test, I reckon) and was informed that I could find it at The Great Escape Records and Comics. The following Monday, I made the trip, scored a copy, returned to the studio, and began my first week of listening to it exclusively at my desk during the evenings' paperwork/correspondences. Fifteen or so listens into it, I contacted the band and asked if they would give me their blessing to review "The Season".

From opening to close, again and again, this album plays...like a dream [I will try not to use the word 'dream' again for the remainder of this review...er uh, paragraph...er uh, sentence];a DREAM, I tell you!

*To explain my earlier statement regarding Americana music, (and for those of you unclear as to what exactly constitutes Americana music, I would paraphrase its definition as modern folk) so much of it that I have heard has been simple and repetitive. As one who is up to their eyeballs in music, as one whose job description includes daily ear training and teaching people through a very wide variety of songs of their choosing, I bore easily. When I begin playing along with a song I have never heard or am unfamiliar with, I am oft asked "How?" and I invariably reply to myself that I've heard it before...thousands and thousands of times...I know what's next.

The element of familiarity is formulaic to the success of the interaction between artist and listener. We unconsciously want to "get" music and part of that which enables us to nod our heads, tap our feet, and dance even is the subconscious deja vu of having heard a song before. All music utilizes this to varying degrees. No artist can escape their influences and varying degrees of these will resurface in some shape or form in the artists' music, regardless of creativity levels.

"The Season", I dare say, has the perfect level of this distant familiarity; a product that successfully blurs the lines between country, rock, classical, psychedelic, pop, blues, and jazz...an Americana album...and in spite of this, is laden with countless twists and turns that one simply does not hear/see coming.

Throughout this album are the songs of singer/songwriter/guitarist Ashley Winn; songs brought to life by her talented company of musical collaborators - Steven Page continues with tasteful electric guitar tones and barbed hook riffs as unconventional as they are traditional...his brother David Page keeps a solid driving beat on drums and percussion that can stop and start on a dime during the songs' many starts, dramatic pauses, restarts, crescendos, and decrescendos; a compliment to album's ebb and flow...Warren Guyer weaves the low frequency o - The Amplifier

An impressive debut effort from the new local ensemble, The Reneaus, "Room for Roses" is spare and haunting, somewhere between Americana and dream pop. Excellent songs composed by vocalist Ashley Winn, beautifully played and recorded. Echoes from everyone from Gillian Welch and Lucinda Williams to Tom Waits and Mazzy Star are present, and the subtly understated arrangements never get in the way of the songs. Personal favorites include "Waiting on the Body," the Waits-inflected title track, "Room for Roses," and the country-ish "Gone by Morning," but there is little here not to like.

One of the most promising local debuts that I've heard in a long while, the album is available at the Great Escape in Bowling Green and on iTunes. - Jeffery Sweeney - SKYe Magazine

Let me just say this, and it’s going to sound like some sort of a plug for Review Shine, and maybe it is, but so what! Since joining up with them, some amazing sounds have penetrated that pleasure zone of my brain, that leaves the ears extremely satisfied.

Enter The Reneaus from Bowling Green, Kentucky with Ashley Cooper Winn’s deceivingly sweet sounding voice backed up by a band that must know her well (I believe I read that they are all related). She penned every song on the album and they [the band] back her up perfectly. They can go from almost country to almost rock in nothing flat.

Take what I would have to call my favorite tune on the album, “Logs and Specks”. It starts out with a lead guitar and alternate gently strummed banjo, which soon takes somewhat of a backseat to the guitar. The banjo doesn’t drop out, but instead stays just underneath the vocals and the guitar with a soft pluck of the strings to remind us of its subtle presence.

This creates a style, adding another dimension to the banjo we are not often privileged to hear. The guitar howls but never overshadows the primary instrument, Ms. Winn’s stunningly supple voice. This particular tune reminds me of something you might hear from Texas troubadour, Ray Wylie Hubbard. It contains that element of grit that can add an extra layer of texture to an already deeply textured song.

I have focused on just one of eleven great tunes, but trust me; every tune on the record is nothing less than terrific. They never miss. “Logs and Specks” just stood out more to me. Each listener will undoubtedly have their own personal favorite. I presume that is part of the magic of “Room for Roses”.

The band is really quite remarkable, always present to compliment Ms. Winn’s voice and never getting in her way. They are Steven Page – Guitar/ Bass/ Organ/ Pedal Steel/ Vocals, David Page – Percussion, Warren Guyer – Bass/ Piano/ Vocals, and Layne Guyer – Strings/ Banjo/ Vocals.

I quite frankly don’t have any idea what they may be putting in the water up there in Bowling Green, but I sure wish I could have a little sip. I suppose listening to this wonderfully enchanting debut album from The Reneaus will have to suffice for now.

They are oh-so-good! ‘Rebel’ Rod says to check them out!

- Rebel Rod's From Under the Basement

Let me just say this, and it’s going to sound like some sort of a plug for Review Shine, and maybe it is, but so what! Since joining up with them, some amazing sounds have penetrated that pleasure zone of my brain, that leaves the ears extremely satisfied.

Enter The Reneaus from Bowling Green, Kentucky with Ashley Cooper Winn’s deceivingly sweet sounding voice backed up by a band that must know her well (I believe I read that they are all related). She penned every song on the album and they [the band] back her up perfectly. They can go from almost country to almost rock in nothing flat.

Take what I would have to call my favorite tune on the album, “Logs and Specks”. It starts out with a lead guitar and alternate gently strummed banjo, which soon takes somewhat of a backseat to the guitar. The banjo doesn’t drop out, but instead stays just underneath the vocals and the guitar with a soft pluck of the strings to remind us of its subtle presence.

This creates a style, adding another dimension to the banjo we are not often privileged to hear. The guitar howls but never overshadows the primary instrument, Ms. Winn’s stunningly supple voice. This particular tune reminds me of something you might hear from Texas troubadour, Ray Wylie Hubbard. It contains that element of grit that can add an extra layer of texture to an already deeply textured song.

I have focused on just one of eleven great tunes, but trust me; every tune on the record is nothing less than terrific. They never miss. “Logs and Specks” just stood out more to me. Each listener will undoubtedly have their own personal favorite. I presume that is part of the magic of “Room for Roses”.

The band is really quite remarkable, always present to compliment Ms. Winn’s voice and never getting in her way. They are Steven Page – Guitar/ Bass/ Organ/ Pedal Steel/ Vocals, David Page – Percussion, Warren Guyer – Bass/ Piano/ Vocals, and Layne Guyer – Strings/ Banjo/ Vocals.

I quite frankly don’t have any idea what they may be putting in the water up there in Bowling Green, but I sure wish I could have a little sip. I suppose listening to this wonderfully enchanting debut album from The Reneaus will have to suffice for now.

They are oh-so-good! ‘Rebel’ Rod says to check them out!

- Rebel Rod's From Under the Basement

Due to the distributed capabilities of the Internet, I see as benevolent music regularly through the trees for the forest with my quest for undiscovered gems. Sometimes it is justified if they remain undiscovered. In the case of the American quintet The Reneaus is the debut "Room For Roses" a blessing to listen. An album with eleven songs, recorded in an old historic home of guitarist Steven Page in the cozy surroundings of the town of Bowling Green in the U.S. state of Kentucky. A fertile ground for a knitted palette of dreamy indie rock and altcountryliedjes with a mystical edge. The violin of Lane Guyer
"Room For Roses" has a nice warm sound, where the beautiful and plaintive soprano voice of singer Ashley Cooper fully comes into its own. A seductive lure that is hard to resist. From the opening track Waiting On The Body , a song full of subtlety, warmth and a hypnotic atmosphere wave you on an endless stream of melancholy. The piano, organ, violin, banjo, pedal steel guitars and spinning a web in your head. Music that with each new spin a little more graceful sounds. Songs like Logs and Specks, Old Front Doo r and Gone By Morning show at the right time a lighter turn, through the languid Night Falls Insane slowly into the dark diving.
The CD "Room For The Roses" by The Reneaus delivers exceptional ear pleasing and breathtaking moments. Good music to listen to if you have a head full of noise.
www.thereneaus.com - Johan Schoenmaker

The other groups in this post share the writing and lead vocal duties. But the Reneaus are Ashley Cooper Winn’s band; she takes all of the lead vocals, and all of the songs are hers, at least on this album. That’s a perfectly good model for a band, and it certainly works here. Winn sings in a plaintive soprano with a bit of breath. A lot of the time, the instrumentation is that of a rock band, except for the stand up bass. That makes a powerful difference here. In the title track of Room For Roses, the bass starts things off with a rumble of thunder. The percussionist is playing what I think is a snare, cymbals, wood blocks, and maybe something I missed. There is a rhythm guitar, and the lead guitar has an abrasive tone that slashes through the song. The gentleness of Winn’s voice makes an excellent foil to this. There is an organ part in the background that helps to blend all of this together. This music is no more unsettled than the emotions it presents. And the combined effect is powerful indeed. Elsewhere on the album, there is banjo and some pedal steel. In all cases, The Reneaus show a great talent for combining musical sounds that don’t normally mix, and making them work. - Oliver di Place