The title track of the Madison group's new album is a charming song that begins with a playful verse: "The man in the moon/He'd like to hide from you/He's a sneaky little fellow."
The ukulele, delicate and smooth, brims with energy and bounce. The drums and bass move quietly along, prodding the melody without distraction. None of the instrumentation gets in the way of the beautiful singing of Maggie Delaney-Pothoff.
Despite the understated delivery, Harmonious Wail's emotional reach is wide throughout this disc. "Lagavullin Bay" is a soulful nature meditation that employs uilleann pipes to suspend time.
Harmonious Wail has been making music around Madison for more than 20 years. The group has long been identified with gypsy swing. That description doesn't capture the breadth of folk music these musicians have mastered.
