Wistfulness can be a difficult emotion to communicate. To the outsider it appears as dreaminess or simple melancholy, but far from being nebulous, the deep yearning within this experience requires a presence shared by all great singer-songwriters. George Pettis, bandleader of 100 Watt Horse, has built his unique brand of experimental folk on his ability to communicate wistfulness in a way that is completely captivating.
In spite of their often jocular live performances, the trio of Pettis, Anna Jeter, and Graham Tavel have nearly perfected the art of serious, musical storytelling. If the metaphor of painting with music is painfully overused, then 100 Watt Horse take a more holistic role. They pull stories off the canvas with sounds mined from their environment like museum curators: every movement on this EP is a finely tuned exhibit.
It May Very Well Do was written and arranged as a mixtape, a wandering score for the band’s day-to-day life. The number of musical stages on this 15-minute, single track journey is staggering, but there is little overcrowding, leaving space for a creaky rocking chair, an adamant preacher, and oceans of reverb.
Though 100 Watt Horse was originally Pettis’ solo project, it has always been a collaborative effort with a variety of Atlanta musicians. However, the other players on previous recordings often felt like dispensable stand-ins supporting Pettis’ songs. On It May Very Well Do, the collaboration matures into what feels like a real band. Multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Jeter hits her stride with the brooding introductory tune, recalling the floral tones of Feist and early Laura Marling.
If 2015’s Everything’s Alright Forever and Forever and Forever and Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou Amen was a love letter to Atlanta, then this is a love letter to the open road, a mix of clear-eyed and tear-stained songs which crescendo together without succumbing to the roar of modern life. With It May Very Well Do, Pettis and company continue to deliver the best experimental folk-pop Atlanta has to offer.
100 Watt Horse will perform on Sunday, April 3 at Mammal Gallery in support of Salsa Chest. Oh Rose, Sea Ghost, and Moses Nesh will open the show. Doors open at 8 p.m. Admission is $5.
More Info
Bandcamp: the100watthorse.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @The100WattHorse
Instagram: @100watthorse
SoundCloud: @100-watt-horse