Posted on: March 8, 2019 Posted by: John B. Moore Comments: 0

Chicago alt folk/Americana upstarts The Way Down Wanderers have managed to spike their music was some interesting elements on their sophomore effort, adding in snatches of jazz and pop here and there, while still remaining true to the sound that made their debut a satisfying affair.

Though not vastly too different from their self-titled record, Illusions takes small steps forward both musically and lyrically for a more consistently appealing sound. Songs like “Frozen Through” and the creative musical stuttering on a track like “She’s Alright” find the band building on the foundation laid out two years ago and starting to separate themselves from an ever-growing field of bluegrass/Americana bands that have sprouted up over the past year or so. While the infusion of other styles for the most part serve to bolster their music, the Reggae-like beat on “All My Words,” has the opposite effect, dragging down an otherwise decent song.

Lead singers Austin Krause-Thompson and Collin Krause have impressively built on their strengths from the debut, perfecting their trade off vocal style and knack for strong harmonies. Aside from a few small stumbles here and there, Illusions is another solid effort from The Way Down Wanderers.

Way Down Wanderers – Illusions/11 tracks/Org Music/2019 / Domain / Facebook /

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