Wood and Wire sees Oxford’s Undersmile sharing a split with, well, with themselves. The sludge/doom quartet have an acoustic alter ego by the name of Coma Wall. This is where the name of the split gets clever. Wood being the acoustic side of Coma Wall’s three tracks and Wire being Undersmile’s amplified contribution.
Coma Wall’s side of the limited translucent purple vinyl features three track of what one could call Dark Americana or Doom Folk. It’s all very low-key and stripped down. The band seems in no rush, stretching their decidedly forlorn tunes out past the six-minute mark. But at no time do they feel like they are dragging. The beautiful vocal harmonies of co-vocalist/guitarists Hel Sterne and Taz Corona-Brown draw the listener in like the Sirens of mythological lore. Locked in a trance by their sweetness, the acoustic guitars, banjo and classical strings envelope the listener in soothing melodies. It’s the sort of thing one could expect to hear around a campfire in the dry prairie desert while the blues influences remind one of the Coen Brothers film, O Brother, Where Art Thou? It’s a wholly relaxing experience.
The Undersmile side on the other hand is a little edgier. The vocal harmonies remain the same leaving no doubt that these are the same voices. However, at times their tone does become more menacing. The bass of Olly Corona-Brown, while prominent on the A-side anchors a devastating low-end on the B. Tom McKibbin attacks the drums harder when called for, matching the darker energies prevailing as Undersmile. Some of the folk sensibilities are maintained, but by and large this side of the split is an exercise in molasses thick droning doom caked in ambience. Even in minimalist mode the songs have ample gravity.
Having a band do a split with the reflection of their collective personality is a rare treat. The similarities are such that the connection between the two is readily apparent yet the differences make the whole endeavor deliciously intriguing. Well crafted songwriting throughout links the airiness of Coma Wall to the heaviness of Undersmile, the two sides balanced on the fulcrum of a dark and mysterious aura. Perhaps this Jekyll and Hyde-type split will inspire fellow doom purveyors to explore the subtler sides of their aesthetic in a similar fashion. Wood and Wire is a deeply satisfying album for fans of doom and dark folk alike. Don’t let this one slip under your radar.
by Matt Hinch
8/10
Shaman Recordings website