After winning critical acclaim by fusing elements of dream pop and country-rock on a sauntering, nostalgic full-length debut (
90 in November
) that yearned for bandleader
Blair Howerton
's home state of Texas,
Why Bonnie
made the conscious decision to mess with its formula. No longer homesick in New York but struggling in the here and now,
Howerton
's new lyrics demanded a stronger sound when the band eventually reunited the studio. Without foregoing atmospheric twang or moody reflection -- "Three Big Moons," for example, is a straight-up alt-country entry -- the follow-up,
Wish on the Bone
, turns up amps, emboldens drums, and serrates some of the edges of their still recognizable sound. (The adjustment also finds them moving from the
Keeled Scales
label to
Fire Talk
.) They open the album with a serpentine guitar solo on a title track that introduces this sonic reinforcement in a midtempo setting. Meanwhile, the lyrics set a scene filled with asphalt, paint, and gasoline while carrying over the oppressive heat from the debut. Keyboards flesh out indie rock arrangements on songs like "Fake Out," whose howling choruses repeat, " It's not my face/I imitate," as she struggles to be herself in a world that wants something else. In another objection to modern society, "All the Money," with its hard rock riffs and relentless eighth-note bass pattern, delivers the message "All the money in the world couldn't buy what you want." Elsewhere, tracks such as "Green Things" and the tender, drum-less "Weather Song" show
's softer side, as does the spacy closer "I Took the Shot," which leaves
alone after being stood up at the bar. The overall effect of the album's variability is less vibey but more emotionally resonant than the debut -- perhaps an even tradeoff given that they both have the quality of feeling like records the band had to make. ~ Marcy Donelson