Sean Watkins Albums (3)
What The Critics Say
Nickel Creek guitarist/vocalist Sean Watkins put the Grande Ole Opry behind him with Blinders On, a 15-track foray into pop, rock, and the wonders of digital recording. From the opening Adrian Belew-esque guitar loop on "Summer's Coming" to the angsty, mandolin-led love song "Whipping Boy" -- the latter evolves into a full-on flat-picked guitar and cello jam about five minutes in -- it's clear that the shy, quiet Nickel Creek guitar player is coming out of his shell. Like fellow Creek members Chris Thile and sister Sara Watkins, Sean is a musical sponge filtering whatever genre he comes in contact with through his own unique brand of composition. Sparse and often dissonant band-aids ("Hello...Goodbye" and the Radiohead-tinged "Happy New Year") serve as bridges to full-on new acoustic confections like "Starve Them to Death," "No Lighted Windows," and the mournful "They Sail Away." Blinders On is pure California road pop, and while it occasionally veers into detached Pro Tools trickery, Watkins is an honest enough songwriter that his words peek through the sound waves like shark fins. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
On his second solo release, Sean Watkins of Nickel Creek further departs from progressive bluegrass to craft a collection of thoughtful and dour acoustic pop. 26 Miles still sparkles with clean, full production and a sense of crossing many genres, but this time Watkins lands a little closer to the likes of Grant Lee Phillips than Alison Brown. From the distinctly indie rock "On Ice" (Death Cab for Cutie comes to mind) to the alt-country rocker "Hiding," 26 Miles never reaches the exuberance of Nickel Creek, but that doesn't seem to be Watkins' goal here -- the album is much more likely to traffic in the wistful and downbeat than the rollicking and bouncy. Sara Watkins' harmony on "Locking Doors" is quite beautiful, which leads to an interesting point. Both this tune and the striking "On Ice" were written on tour as part of a game -- everyone had to write a song of the same title -- an exercise with astounding results. All in all, 26 Miles is distinctly a road album, written in the confusion and exhaustion of a tour. It's hardly uplifting, but Watkins negotiates the material deftly with an emotional subtlety. ~ Charles Spano, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Certain artists spend their musical life as part of a band, others as a solo act. A few, like Sean Watkins, are comfortable in both settings. A member of Nickel Creek, Watkins is also an accomplished songwriter and one heck of a guitar player. On Let It Fall he has a chance to showcase both skills, resulting in a number of skillfully played, atmospheric instrumentals. Energetic fingerpicking jumpstarts the album on "Neo's Song," an acoustic feast featuring fiddler Stuart Duncan, mandolinist Chris Thile, and banjoist Dennis Caplinger. The only vocal shows up on the title track, sung by none other than Glen Phillips, frontman of Toad the Wet Sprocket. This track comes closest to the acoustic pop of Nickel Creek's self-titled debut. The placid "January Second" paints an evocative landscape that feels like late winter, and this tune wouldn't be out of place on a David Grier album. While mandolins or fiddles ground Let It Fall in the rhythms of bluegrass, the overall feel is closer to the progressive instrumental sound of Tony Furtado or Alison Brown. Dobroist Jerry Douglas, bassist Todd Phillips, and fiddler Stuart Duncan, all alumni of new acoustic music, join Watkins on several tracks. A number of gentle, atmospheric tunes like "Cloudbreak" and "The Birth" also attest to the strength of the writing on Let It Fall. For Nickel Creek fans who would like to hear more of Watkins's glorious guitar sound, and for those who enjoy engaging acoustic music, this album is a keeper. ~ Ronnie Lankford, Jr., All Music Guide
