I was reading the other day about the Horseshoe Theory, which suggests that the extreme right and extreme left have surprisingly similar points of view on many things. I won’t comment on the political validity of that, but I discovered a musical version of the idea. Imagine combining the DIY aesthetic of punk rock and the acoustic, spiritual elements of Appalachian folk music. Turns out that combination exists in the form of Southern California duo, Wild Mountain Mystics. Comprised of multi-instrumentalists Lisa Miller and Rick Deering, their new album, Fire & Honey, covers a lot of ground under a broad Americana umbrella.
Aside from a few guests on bass, eight of the record’s ten songs feature just the two of them on everything from drums and guitars to mandolin and electric sitar. Having said that, the star of the show is their vocal harmonies. Love Takes Over the Night has a bit of gypsy sound and plenty of key changes to maximize the opportunities for their voices to weave together in a basket of sound. Rick’s vocals lend a 70’s English folk rock flair to Hangin’ On A Star. He goes more old-timey on If You Can Bluff, with a super-catchy rhythm in the beat. It has a nice tongue-in-cheek piece of advice that “if you can bluff, you ain’t lost yet.” Lisa takes a turn leading on the bluesy folk of What Our Love Can Do.
Just Lay It Down marks the transition to a larger cast of players. There’s a little Caribbean feel to the percussion and rhythm and a reminder “there’s no meeting in the middle if you won’t come halfway.” That’s followed by All You Need Is Love, a boot-scootin’ Beatles cover. I’d have bet money that wouldn’t work, but I’ll be damned if doesn’t make you wonder why more bands haven’t tried it. The album closer is May We All Meet Again. Like a musical moment at the end of the evening on the front porch with everyone hugging and waving, there’s joy with just a slight touch of sadness bringing things to a perfect close.
Wild Mountain Mystics is an apropos name for Lisa Miller and Rick Deering’s musical journey. The gentle transcendence of their lyrics and vocals tie together a broad range of instrumental styles, from folk to rock, and leave you with a smile inside. So when you’re ready to turn down the sharpness of the day, or just sit and reflect on some of its finer moments, I recommend hitting play on Fire & Honey.
About the author: I've actually driven from Tehatchapee to Tonopah. And I've seen Dallas from a DC-9 at night.