Great Wilderness are a fairly new 5-piece band to arrive on the Portland folk scene but their six song EP, Rest, which was released back in March will stand them out from the crowd. The playing on this release feels so natural and intuitive, there is a very strong connection between all of them and you can hear that clearly on this recording. It’s filled with serendipitous moments from the gently blowing wind like harmonies to heart melting vocals of Jamie McMullen and Emily Wilder which wash over you whilst the empathy in Laura Kucera’s violin & Cello playing takes it all to an even higher dimension of sentiment.
Their live performances must be some experience and you have to take your hat off to Victor Nash’s production efforts on Rest as there is a very genuine live feel to it all as well as a strong emotional charge which comes through on the EP.
If the opening track Creepy captures you the next will lock you into their music and the magic that binds this band together. I doubt that many people reading this post will have heard of them which makes it all the more exciting for us when it comes to sharing exceptional music like this.
Great Wilderness are:
Emily Wilder -vocals,guitar/banjo,piano
Jamie McMullen – vocals, guitar, auto harp
Laura Kucera – violin, cello
Josiah Zukowski – guitar (on hiatus)
Jon Balsley – guitar
Abe Henderson – drums
Tracks