A Wonderful is the long-standing but infrequently active musical project of Rochester, New York’s relatively reclusive songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Tim Wilson.
Over the 10 mins and 20 seconds of this short but sweet EP we meet a variety of tones and textures but the sonic identity is consistent and distinctive throughout.
The first song – the title track, Ignite – reminds us of a combination of the observational aptitude of Conor Oberst and the musicality of My Morning Jacket. At 4.5 minutes long it makes up a large amount of the EP and we can honestly say it’s a wonderful way to spend the time. The guitar tones are crisp and the songwriting is cosy. Ignite feels intimate but at the same time almost anthemic. The vocal delivery is classic sounding but extremely distinctive, individualistic and full of personality.
The second track – Hour At Night – begins and feels at first like an early Bon Iver song or perhaps The Flaming Lips at their most subdued and understated. There’s also a tender earnestness that brings to mind the most vulnerable work of the great Brian Wilson – particularly when it comes to the way the vocals are used.
The third track Bronze Rust leans into The Flaming Lips vibes. Peppered among the Jeffrey Lewis/Kimya Dawson lo-fi textures we eventually meet an organ sound that is sufficiently spacey and makes us think even more of Oklahoma’s most famous fearless freaks. There is also a whiff of Figure 8-era Elliott Smith to the jaunty progression. The song is charming and quaint and nicely in keeping with the rest of the EP.
No More rounds off the EP with a slight dip in mood. It’s a sombre affair that reminds us musically of the work of one of our all-time favourites, The National. The sparse backbeat compliments the warm acoustic instrumentation excellently and the whole thing is tied together by subtle, but integral, choral backing vocals.
What a wonderful gift this EP is. We sincerely hope that A Wonderful keeps on giving, but based on his track record we won’t be holding our breath! Be sure to enjoy what you can.
Written by Kinda Grizzly
