David Wingo, best known as a composer for independent films (All the Real Girls, The Great World of Sound), tackles a slightly different form when writing for Ola Podrida. The solo-project-turned-band uses his cinematic instincts to their fullest advantage: The band's debut, Ola Podrida, is full of airy, acoustic-guitar-driven folk songs with muted vocals suitable for dusty roads and endless possibilities. Ola Podrida excels at creating a beautifully atmospheric mood, as well as gentle beauty that's both spacious and deceptively complex.
The lazily majestic "Jordanna" builds slowly, with a careful hand, as Wingo carefully engineers the placement of each individual element. Fans of Iron and Wine should appreciate his ability to cast a spell with seemingly simple guitar strumming, driven home by Wingo's weathered and road-weary voice. People and scenes float in and out of focus, lending the song the feel of a scrapbook. At the end of "Jordanna," Wingo sings, "I'm not sure there's any point to it all / but I sure loved hearing your voice," and the latter sentiment surely holds true here.
Listen to yesterday's 'Song of the Day.'
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