We recently had the distinct honor and privilege to check out the debut album , “The Fall”, from Boston-based Americana and indie-folk band, Wayward Vine. You can listen to “The Fall” Here

Right from the first note on the opening track “The Fall “ ( which also happens to be the title track) We felt an instant connection to the authentic and heartfelt

Consisting of eight prior singles dating back to last October, including August’s spellbinding “Dancing On Your Basement Floor,” and paired with three new previously-unreleased compositions, The Fall is a declaration of purpose from the project led by Valerie Rachel (vocals, violin, keyboards, Hammond organ, and tambourine) and Greg Lawrence (vocals, guitar, percussion, harmonica), a pair of songwriting partners whose delicate harmonies and gentle rhythms belie lyrical themes of heartbreak, obsession, and the panoramic range of emotions involved in family relationships.  

The Fall is not just the title of the album; it’s a snapshot of life, frozen in time. And it reflects something larger for the duo, who balance day jobs, families, and other commitments alongside being in one of Boston’s most exciting new Americana bands. 

When you think about the moment when summer shifts to fall, for example, there is often the feeling of being at the edge of a moment when you don’t know what the next moment holds, and that’s often accompanied by melancholy, or sometimes an exciting anticipation,” says Rachel, a classically trained vocalist, violinist, and pianist. “But we also wanted to more broadly incorporate moments of change and evolution as they relate to the feeling of seasons changing.”  

She adds: “In choosing The Fall for the title, more than just featuring one of the names of the tracks and a season of the year in which the album happens to be emerging, we thought this was a representation of everything the word can mean that occurs thematically in our songs. The Fall also references a loss of innocence and a shift in mental state, all in one title.” 

Subtle references to seasonal themes permeate through the album, where Wayward Vine’s knack for emotionally-driven storytelling and heartfelt narration of life’s tender and most personal moments are soundtracked by a casual encompassing of sound, balancing solemnity and euphoria, that has earned comparisons to The Head and the Heart, 10,000 Maniacs, and The Civil Wars. 

Every song on “The Fall” from Wayward Vine, feels like an emotional springboard that settles perfectly into a cornucopia of emotions, that leave the listener full with musical goodness.

The lyrics and theme of the song encapsulate my family’s experience around 2020 and into 2021, when time seemed to go very slowly yet everyone’s emotional experience seemed heightened,” she says. “I found a lot of solace in nature during that time, especially through hours in my backyard where I saw my kids gain a lot of resilience and even though this wasn’t the world or childhood we envisioned for them. I think the melody and lyrics of the song capture both emotional pain and suggest a hopefulness and support system that we as humans need to get through our toughest moments.”

Recorded and mixed by David Minehan at Woolly Mammoth Sound in Waltham, with additional recording, mixing and mastering by Will Holland at Chillhouse Studios in Charlestown, the rest of the album plays out in the same kind of magnetic way. There’s a push and a pull to the music of Wayward Vine, and a certain intimacy in its lyricisms that most new bands generally shy away from.

The one track that really caught our attention, was the closing track, “Imperfect Begins” We were immediately drawn to the phenomenal show stopping melody of , “Imperfect Begins” We were hanging on ever beautiful note and word.

Music is for the soul…. We guarantee that after listening to “The Fall” from Wayward Vine, your music loving soul will be plenty full.