Kacy & Clayton and Marlon Williams – Plastic Bouquet
(New West Records)
Reviewed by Bridget Herlihy.
Marlon Williams has become somewhat of a household name in Aotearoa over the last couple of years; to say that he has become the darling of homegrown music would be a monumental understatement. Williams’ following grew exponentially with the release of each of his two solo albums. His forthcoming summer 2021 national tour has sold out a majority of its dates, with tickets for extra shows also being snapped up super fast. So fans are in for a pre-Christmas treat with the release of ‘Plastic Bouquet’ – a collection of songs that sees Williams team up with Kacey and Clayton a renowned folk/roots/country duo that hail from Saskatchewan, Canada. The result is a collection of 11 superb tracks that intertwine and merge different – yet similar – musical traditions from the Northern and Southern hemispheres in the most beautiful way.
One does not need to be a fan of the folk and/or country genre(s) to realise – and bask in – the immense beauty of everything Marlon Williams produces, and ‘Plastic Bouquet’ is no exception. Despite residing at opposite ends of the globe, the trio bonded over a shared love of Western country, folk and troubadour musical traditions. Whereas Williams brings a Pacific style of country/folk music to the table – one punctuated by harmonies and choral elements – Kacey (Anderson) and Clayton (Linthicum) epitomise the best of timeless North American folk music. The duo have released five albums since 2011, most recently ‘The Siren’s Song’ (2017) and ‘Carrying On’ (2019), both of which were met with widespread critical acclaim.
Williams traveled to Saskatoon for Christmas 2018 to write and record the album; a process that took a mere three weeks. The natural chemistry of the trio is immediately evident from the album’s opening track ‘Isn’t It’; a song rooted in the country genre but with a distinct edginess that is apparent in the song’s lyrics. Most of the tracks are succinct, at only 2-3 minutes in duration. Yet each song weaves a distinct story – both musically and lyrically – within a short space of time. In fact, it is easy to be so drawn into the beauty of these stories that they don’t seem short at all. Williams’ and Anderson’s vocal interplay and harmonies are a match made in heaven; it is hard to imagine two voices that compliment each other so magically. It is no wonder that it is easy to lose oneself in the beauty of this album.
While each and every song shines in its own right, one of the album’s standout tracks is undeniably ‘Arahura’, which sees Williams’ take on lead vocals. Written from the perspective of a river (the Arahura River in the South Island), the track brings a distinctly Pacific-inspired sound to the album, strengthening the meeting of the various musical influences present amongst the trio.
At its very core, ‘Plastic Bouquet’ is a stunning album; a testament to the power of sharing of ideas, traditions, differences and similarities. What is more, it has come at a time where we all could use a bit of musical magic in our lives. ‘Plastic Bouquet’ sees the year that was 2020 out on a high note indeed.
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