The Wild Ponies’ second studio album (their first under their current moniker) ‘Things That Used To Shine’ is now two years old. Yet it still remains relevant, as the duo prepare to bring it to the UK next month in a 10-date run through some of the country’s smaller markets. Wild Ponies were formerly known as Doug and Telisha Williams, the married couple that make up this group and Virginia natives who have been building momentum on the Americana scene for a little while now.
‘Things That Used To Shine’ is a Ray Kennedy-produced album of stories, from the spirited (and unregretful) murder ballad of ‘Trigger’ to the rough and ready epic tale of a legendary car race on ‘Massey’s Run’; yet for the most part, they are hardly unbelievable works of fiction. While Doug is a fiction writer, and his flair for storytelling aids the vivid imagery and emotional traction on this record, the recounting on ‘Massey’s Run’ has parallels with Telisha’s training for races, and the pair admit that many of these tales come from her. There is a directness on confessional ‘The Truth Is’, as Telisha stoutly lists a number of home truths that highlight her pride and stubborn nature, leading to a perhaps chaotic existence, but altogether more interesting than others without those imperfections. She is also unafraid to outwardly express her lustful attraction to others on ‘Make You Mine’ and ‘Trouble Looks Good On You’, jazzy and cabaret-like forms of seduction that draw from rock and western swing respectively.
Her personality flows through the record, lighting up both old-time ditties and gravely Americana offerings, as Doug takes on guitar duties and (sometimes) lead vocals. However, while his voice is capable, it’s nothing in comparison to his wife’s smoky and personal vocals, the kind that throw us into her shoes as she reflects on the quirks of her late grandmother on the beautiful ‘Iris’. Those same vocals evoke the wearied desire to move on with ‘Want To Be Gone’ and comfortable long-term love with ‘Valentine’s Day’, an achingly traditional ballad with sweetly blended harmonies. Those harmonies also appear on the title track, a cheery folky celebration of old things, while a punky spirit is delivered on the country/rock ‘n’ roll number ‘Broken’. “Everything I own is just a little bit broken,” the pair sing simultaneously, using the word to apply literally and metaphorically to someone who’s down on their luck.
Doug takes the lead on the haunting country noir of ‘Revival Wasteland’, a tale of a healer supposedly doing the work of God as he roams from desolate town to desolate town, taking money for his ‘good deeds’. This sense of imperfect humans continues on the album’s closer ‘Another Chance’, which sings a twisted ‘Hallelujah’ for the second chances of various characters, despite the fact their second go at life doesn’t feel quite as good as they know it should. Throughout the duo express a kind of unspoken love for the flawed people of the world, telling their stories in a smoky bar room setting – which likely to be playing, and where they’re likely to find the broken characters they’re singing about.
Two years on, ‘Things That Used To Shine’ is a great Americana/roots record that covers a variety of subjects and sounds. When they arrive in the UK in November they will also be promoting their new single ‘Love Is Not A Sin’, a pro-equality anthem that serves as the lead to their as-yet-untitled 2016 LP. You can find tour dates on their website, and be sure to keep an eye for new music from them in the coming months.
Originally posted here.
