All Birds Say (Deluxe Version)

iTunes Review

Carl Broemel came to many people’s attention when he joined My Morning Jacket. However, Broemel’s been well known to other musicians, lending his multi-instrument talent to many artists over the years. His first solo album, 2010’s All Birds Say, was released on the same day as his collaboration with Bobby Bare Jr. on A Storm - A Tree - My Mother’s Head. Funnily enough, it’s Broemel’s solo album that features the most countrified and beautiful laid-back harmonies. Tunes such as “Heaven Knows,” “Carried Away” and “Sunday Drivers” sound as if they’ve been lifted from a Gene Clark or Byrds album. “Different People” adds some horns to kick up the tempo. But the gentle fingerpicking of “On the Case” matches the honeyed vocal just perfectly. “Blue Moon” gazes at the sky from a sweetly reverbed studio mic. This is a welcome, unexpected gem of an album. Fans of Ron Sexsmith, Gene Clark, the Pernice Brothers and melancholy country-rock should find this album especially intriguing.