The slightly blurred cover of this new album from The Secret Sisters offers us something reassuring in this hyper focused online world – here’s a band and an album that’s out of focus in a good way, soft and quietly spoken, emotionally shaky because living in this world often makes you feel that way.
Blood harmony always speaks to my soul but there’s something about the lyrics on opener ‘Space’ which feel really perfect for this moment in time: whatever you’re going though/ there’s a light that always burns/it isn’t something you earn/whichever way the world may turn/it will find you.’ They are ‘holding space’ for the listener and the song feels like a whisper in the ear from a friend.
After this almost hypnotic swirl of a song the duo bring out the acoustic guitars and a knock out catchy tune called Paperweight, just to remind us that they know how to write an Americana singalong.
All the Ways brings in Ray LaMontague his soulful voice working as a nice contrast to the sisters. The album was recorded at Muscle Shoals and bringing this sound to their music has expanded their palette nicely.
Planted is quite a haunting ballad, a vintage sounding echo which is reminiscent of Skeeter Davis. Never Walk Away feels inspired by girl groups of that same era, building into an epic heartbreaker. The cinematic feeling is continued in the sweeping drama of ‘I Needed You’. These songs push the sound of the band without losing what made their vintage harmonies so appealing.
They head back to more familiar territory on ‘Bear With Me’, a rich, Americana strum which pleads with their partner to give them time to get through their tough times together. It’s a really vulnerable and lovely song – what they do best.
The title of the record comes from the song ‘Same Water’, on which they seem to be wondering about how to even survive in a world as isolated and insane as this. They offer us empathy and acknowledge that ‘we’re all drowning in the same water’. Holding on together.
I Got Your Back pours in sunshine and takes on the pain of another. Music can’t fix everything, but it can try.
The Secret Sisters might not be as unknown as their name suggests, but they remain a criminally underrated duo. Mind, Man, Medicine is an album of comfort among the chaos, a searching and serene set of songs which shows they have much to offer the listener who is willing to seek them out.
BUY: https://thesecretsisters.bandcamp.com/album/mind-man-medicine
Highway Queens 
Leave a comment