Blues great Albert King first sang the line “If it wasn’t for bad luck, I wouldn’t have no luck at all” in his 1967 blues classic, “Born Under a Bad Sign”. William Bell and Booker T. Jones wrote the song, which has become a blues standard covered by such notables as Cream, Jimi Hendrix, and Etta James. There may be something worse than being cursed, according to the singers, but then again, maybe not. It’s a profound statement about being down and out with limited options.
Colorado’s Banshee Tree sing of “Bad Luck” in a more positive way. The title song from the multi-genre band’s latest album suggests hardship and misfortune may be code words for opportunity. The convoluted lyrics follow an adventurous, soulful journey that begins with “falling asleep at the wheel” and ends with jumping off a ledge. The instrumental accompaniment ranges from rhythmic, space-age noodling to Klezmer sax riffs, Flamenco guitar licks, choral background voices, and a host of other sonics that lend a spiritual sauce to the narrative. The mix implies that everything is a part of anything anyway, as part of the whole. Bad luck is just another destination on life’s highway.
Banshee Tree’s music is inclusive, even stuffed, with an assortment of styles. From the acoustic folk underpinnings of “Might Stay” and “Glue” to the psychedelic funk and jazz of “Company of Crows” and “Stellar Jay Theme”, the music is always moving. The eight tracks are relatively short; none reach six minutes, yet they feel much longer because of their density.
That adds a sense of mystery to the narratives, as one is never sure where the narrator is coming from, where they are, or where they are headed. As the singer of “Bright Blue Light” croons: “I was all bad directions / With plenty of space to hide / God bless the randomness.” There is no order except in disorder. The individual cuts seem like fragments of a larger work than discrete songs. They don’t end as much as fade out and then wash back in.
The unity of the album is belied by the process in which it developed. While recording the record, violinist Nick Carter left the group and was replaced by saxophonist Jesse Shantor. Bad Luck contains material from both band configurations. One might think the difference between a fiddle and a horn in a four-piece combo would be radically different. That’s not the case. The center is held by lead vocalist, guitarist, songwriter, and producer Thom LaFond. His presence, along with the contributions of drummer and harmony vocalist Michelle Pietrafitta ground the band. The music may vary in style from track to track, but the sound remains the same, whether there are added synths or banjos.
It has been five years since Banshee Tree released their first record. In between, they have released some singles and EPs and toured around the country. Their Colorado roots are still showing in their jam band sensibility, but as luck would have it, there is something more happening on their new album.