Album Details

• Artist: The Welcome Wagon
• Album: Welcome To The Welcome Wagon
• Label: Asthmatic Kitty
• Year of Release: 2009
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: patchen on 2009-03-27

Christian freak-folk? The Welcome Wagon may be proof that Danielson has had an effect in the Plains. "Welcome" will rise or fall on your taste. You will either find these lilting, jaunty odes childlike in their honesty and directness or somewhat precious in their pretense.

Not that the music here is skewed. The duo of Rev. Thomas Vito Aiuto and his wife Monique handle  guitar, glockenspiel  and harmonies well, and American traveler Sufjan Stevens is along as producer, mostly either providing stark environments or light orchestration to the mix. Songs like "Sold! To The Nice Rich Man," "He Never Said A Mumblin Word," and the Velvet's cover ("Jesus"; I was wondering when Christians would discover that one) are spare testaments of faith filtered from the Bible down through the living room. These are songs that sound like they have been busted out at home on many a Sunday after church. Despite the folksiness, "Hail To the Lord's Anointed" and "But For You Who Fear My Name" may have a bit too much theology for some. For the most part, though, these are gentle tunes suitable for sing-alongs, regardless of your religious persuasion.

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