Album Review: Black Prairie’s Performs Wild Ones Musical Score...
Black Prairie’s 2013 release, Performs Wild Ones Musical Score For The Things That You Might See In Your Head When You Reflect On Certain Characters And Incidents That You Read About In The Book, is an immersive journey into bluegrass-inflected storytelling. Released under Captain Bluegrass Records, this album feels like flipping through the pages of a dusty old novel—each track painting vivid scenes with strings, reeds, and raw emotion. It’s folk music that doesn’t just tell stories; it makes you live them.
The ensemble shines here, blending traditional bluegrass instrumentation with quirky touches. Chris Funk (of Decemberists fame) pulls double duty on banjo, dobro, and more, while Jenny Conlee-Drizos adds soulful vocals and accordion flourishes. Annalisa Tornfelt’s violin work—paired with her use of nyckelharpa and stroh violin—is hauntingly beautiful, giving several tracks an almost cinematic quality. This isn’t your standard bluegrass record—it’s richer, weirder, and full of surprises.
Two tracks stand out for me personally. First up, “A Tranquilized Polar Bear Rising Through An Autumn Sky.” I mean, what a title, right? The song itself matches its name—slow-building, dreamlike, and oddly majestic. Funk’s dobro hums softly against Tornfelt’s delicate violin lines, creating a soundscape that feels both grounded and otherworldly. There’s something about the way the instruments weave together that reminds me of watching clouds shift in slow motion. You don’t hear this kind of subtlety often in modern music—it sticks with you.
Then there’s “Chasing Martha,” which hits harder rhythmically but still carries that same emotional weight. Nate Query’s bassline lays down a steady groove, while John Moen’s drums give it just enough kick to keep things lively. It’s not flashy, but it’s got heart—like chasing after someone who’s always one step ahead, never quite catching them but loving the chase anyway. The interplay between the banjo and violin creates a tension that feels unresolved, leaving you hanging in the best possible way.
What strikes me most about this album is how well it balances restraint and experimentation. These aren’t songs meant to grab your attention with big hooks or flashy solos—they’re intricate little worlds unto themselves. Listening to it feels like wandering through a museum exhibit curated by people who love detail as much as they love storytelling.
And maybe that’s why it lingers. By the time you reach the final track, “The Man Who Carried Fish,” you realize you’ve been carried along too—not by any single melody or lyric, but by the cumulative effect of all these small, thoughtful moments. It’s not perfect, sure, but perfection would ruin it.
So yeah, if you’re looking for background music to sip coffee to, this probably isn’t it. But if you want something that feels alive, that rewards patience and repeated listens, then Performs Wild Ones might be exactly what you didn’t know you needed. Just don’t ask me to pronounce “nyckelharpa” correctly—I haven’t figured that out yet.
