The album opens with its title track, “Wonderland,” and immediately Martha Spencer enchants us with that adorable vocal opening. This song has such an interesting sound; sure, there might be something traditional at its base, but she takes that familiar element and builds something original, something wonderful, from it, creating an unusual realm. And when she sings “But if you kiss my lips/If you’d hold my hand/I might stay forever/In your wonder, wonderland,” we have the urge to stay in the land she has created. On this track, she gets some help from Joel Savoy on fiddle, Jamie Collins on bass and vocals, Leon Frost on percussion, and Abby Roach on spoons. It’s an original song, and it is followed by another original composition, a pretty song titled “Rags Over Riches.” Check out its opening lines: “I’ll wear the rags, and you can keep the riches/You stay in the mansion, and I’ll sleep in the ditches.” Who was it who said she’d been poor and been rich, and rich was much better? So far, I’ve only been poor, and in general it’s not great. But songs like this make it seem more appealing, so it’s probably best to keep listening to this music (which of course would likely still be appealing if ever I became rich). “Rags over riches/Joy over judgment/Love over all/I’ll give what I can/Before I move on.” Dudley Connell joins Martha Spencer on vocals on this track, and Cary Morin is on guitar.
“Banks Of New River” is a song that was originally done by The Whitetop Mountain Band, who included it on their Bull Plus 10% album. It was written by Emily Spencer and Argil Hensley. This new version by Martha Spencer is quite a bit different from that 2006 recording. The biggest difference is that here it is presented as a duet, the mail vocal part done by Luke Bell. The song begins with her seated on the banks of a river, certainly not an unusual image for a folk song. But then it surprises us with these lines: “Some places are shallow/Like your love for me, darling.” What a great line, and it caught me off guard. This song mixes the peaceful feeling of being by a river with thoughts of a relationship that has come to an end, leaving them both lonely. Matt Kinman plays mandolin on this track, delivering some really nice work. That’s followed by “Come Home, Virginia Rose,” a sweet, cheerful number featuring some good work on fiddle and banjo. Alex Leach plays guitar on this track, and Alice Gerrard provides some beautiful harmony vocals. “You’ve always known where you belong.” Martha Spencer then delivers a cover of “Summer Wine,” a song written by Lee Hazelwood, who recorded versions of it with both Suzi Jane Hokom and Nancy Sinatra. On this one, Martha Spencer shares lead vocal duties with Kyle Dean Smith, who has a wonderful, deep country voice. He provides some excellent guitar work too. This is a totally enjoyable rendition.
The Legendary Ingramettes join Martha Spencer on vocals for a lively, soulful, and completely delightful rendition of “Walking In Jerusalem.” Alex Leach also joins her on banjo and backing vocals. That’s followed by a cover of “Virginia Creeper Line,” a song that was also done by The Whitetop Mountain Band. Martha Spencer’s voice takes us back to those small towns, back to the time when the old trains still ran, making us feel like we were on those trains, making us remember something many of us never actually experienced. Jonathan Ferrell plays banjo and provides some backing vocals on this track. Billy Hurt Jr. is on fiddle, Matt Kinman is on mandolin, and Leon Frost is on percussion.
One of the album’s coolest tracks is “Enchantress,” an original composition by Martha Spencer that features some playful vocal touches. “In those deep, deep blue pools of her eyes/You go for a swim and then you’re drowned alive/Chant, chant, chant, enchantress/Does she got you under her spell/Mmm hmm hmm, your eyes do tell/She’s done got to you, ooh ooh ooh/She’s done got to you.” Plus, this one contains some really good work by Joel Savoy on fiddle. This song will soon have us all under its spell. It’s also a good choice to add to your Halloween play list (and yeah, I know it’s Christmas time, but it’s never too early to think about Halloween). That’s followed by another of the disc’s highlights, “Hesitation Blues.” Luke Bell returns on vocals for this one. “Tell me, how long must I have to wait?” he asks. That’s a line that certainly had even more meaning during the height of the pandemic, as many of us were waiting for it to end, waiting for the music halls to reopen, and so on. Billy Hurt Jr. delivers some excellent stuff on fiddle. This track is a delight. And it is followed by another old tune, “Wind And Rain,” which is also known as “Oh, The Wind And Rain.” This is one that Jerry Garcia used to cover from time to time, and it was one of his recordings that introduced the song to me when I was in my teens. Martha Spencer does a wonderful job with it. On this track, she is joined by Lucas Pasley on fiddle, Jamie Collins on bass and vocals, and Brett Morris on banjo.
“You’ve Rambled Too Long” is an original song about returning home and noting the changes. I grew up in a small town, and each time I return I notice more changes. I was shocked recently to find that all those places I used to play, the trails in the woods, the ponds, are now gone. New roads run through those woods, and large houses line those roads. “And the graveyard is full of old friends.” Lucas Pasley plays fiddle and provides backing vocal work on this one. Then on “Yodelady” Jonathan Ferrell joins her on vocals, delivering a beautiful, moving performance. And yes, if you’re wondering, there is some yodeling. Interestingly, here it is slow, kind of soulful yodeling. This is a sweet, sad song, and it features some really nice work on guitar. Abby Roach plays the saw on this one, adding to the song’s atmosphere. This is another of my personal favorites.
“Creekfield Woman” was written by Greg Yates and Herb Yates, and tells the story of a spirit who haunts the area. “She’s called the Creekfield woman/I still remember well/Creekfield woman/Her spirit here still dwells.” She then directly addresses the spirit, asking her what she wants. Martha Spencer delivers a powerful vocal performance. Brett Morris plays banjo on this track. That’s followed by “Young Rover.” With a title like that, you might think it was a traditional folk number. But this is an original composition by Martha Spencer, and she gives us a beautiful vocal performance. Jamie Collins joins her on vocals. “And the arms that once held her so tight/Have long disappeared in the passing of the night.” This is yet another of the disc’s highlights. Then “Bringing Mary Home” is about a ghostly encounter on a dark road in a storm. Jonathan Ferrell joins her on vocals, and Billy Hurt Jr. delivers some pretty work on fiddle. Abby Roach is again on the saw, and Leon Frost plays chimes. The album concludes with an enjoyable, cheerful instrumental piece composed by Martha Spencer, featuring some great stuff on guitar.
CD Track List
- Wonderland
- Rags Over Riches
- Banks Of New River
- Come Home, Virginia Rose
- Summer Wine
- Walking In Jerusalem
- Virginia Creeper Line
- Enchantress
- Hesitation Blues
- Wind And Rain
- You’ve Rambled Too Long
- Yodelady
- Creekfield Woman
- Young Rover
- Bringing Mary Home
- Midsummer Serenade
Wonderland was released on September 2, 2022.
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