Their first album for the
Fantasy Records
label after over a decade with
Mom + Pop
,
Wildewoman (The New Recordings)
sees
Lucius
completely re-record their Billboard 200-charting debut album. The redo was produced and mixed by bandmember
Dan Molad
, main producer of the original LP, with an eye toward taking liberties with some of the arrangements but for the most part making existing details "pop" -- and they do, often in technicolor fashion. At least, that was the approach to songs like the title track and airplay breakthrough "Turn It Around," which essentially remain loyal to the originals. To this end, the band brought back original member
Andrew Burri
to track
The New Recordings
with the remaining core foursome, although the 2024 edition also features a handful of guests on both instruments and vocals. And therein lies the key to which version individual fans may prefer. While these more vibrant revisions allow each component -- from vocal harmonies to nuanced percussion and from main ingredients to playful additives -- to be clearly discerned (not unlike, but to much greater effect than a noteworthy remaster), the singing guests can feel like intruders on well-worn tour favorites. The most conspicuous example of the latter is a duet-style version of bluesy belter "Go Home" with
Marcus Mumford
. A reworked "Tempest" featuring
Devon Gilfillian
serves as a lesser before-and-after contrast. An exception to this category of guest is the album's one previously unreleased song, "Housewarming" featuring
Brandi Carlile
, which, with no point of comparison, only sweetens the pot. At worst,
is a good excuse to revisit an already colorful, effervescent album, and at best, the refresh adds enough spice and variation for some to embrace it as their new default. ~ Marcy Donelson