The Secret Sisters – Mind, Man, Medicine (2024)  


Review:
The world is pretty scary these days, but The Secret Sisters are here to comfort on Mind, Man, Medicine. Reaching out to family, friends, and complete strangers — aka you, the listener — Alabama-bred siblings Laura Rogers and Lydia Slagle confront a variety of troubles, from social dysfunction to interpersonal strife, with warm hearts and a whole lot of empathy. If they can’t make everything right, it’s still nice to bask in the glow of this lovely longplayer. After two stellar albums co-produced by Brandi Carlile, the sisters assume production duties for the first time alongside John Paul White (who also plays acoustic guitar) and Ben Tanner (who adds keyboards and vibraphone), crafting an uncluttered setting for their gentle folk-pop songs. While Larry Campbell uncorks a bit of snazzy, albeit tasteful, electric guitar, the main attraction remains the magical sisterly harmonies, not overlooking the solo vocal turns that add heat to the proceedings.

Their fifth outing, Mind, Man, Medicine seeks to soothe from the start. The hushed leadoff track “Space” offers relief from “whatever you’re going through,” declaring, “There will always be a line / Running from your heart to mine.” The twangy toe-tapper “Paperweight” follows by affirming this sense of an unbreakable bond, acknowledging past disappointments and insisting “I want you to keep holding me down / Building this life in a little town.” Although that’s not everybody’s idea of heaven, it sure beats loneliness and uncertainty.

Other tracks pursue all sorts of healing. Echoing the woozy grace of Phoebe Bridgers, the dreamy “If the World Was a House” searches for common humanity amidst conflict. Featuring guest vocals by Ray LaMontagne, the sleepy “All the Ways” evokes the sultry languor of prime Bonnie Raitt. And the haunting “I Can Never Be Without You Anymore” portrays parental love as overwhelming and transformative.

Nestled among these reassuring songs, “Never Walk Away” drops an unexpected anger bomb, surveying a disastrous relationship with a mixture of bitter regret and weary relief. “I am not your friend anymore / Trying to see it as an open door,” the sisters solemnly sing. As tension rises and epic drama erupts, they exclaim, “The leaving part was always up to you / But I am free and it is thanks to you / That I can walk away.” Such raw fury is genuinely unsettling. — NoDepression


   


Track List:
01 - Space
02 - Paperweight
03 - If the World Was a House
04 - All the Ways (feat. Ray LaMontagne)
05 - Planted
06 - Never Walk Away
07 - I Needed You
08 - Bear with Me
09 - Same Water
10 - I Can Never Be Without You Anymore
11 - I’ve Got Your Back


Media Report:
Genre: americana, folk
Origin: Alabama, USA  
Format: FLAC
Format/Info: Free Lossless Audio Codec
Bit rate mode: Variable
Channel(s): 2 channels
Sampling rate: 44.1 KHz
Bit depth: 16 bits
Compression mode: Lossless
Writing library: libFLAC 1.2.1 (UTC 2007-09-17)


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