Are you a Della Maeniac? If not, you probably should be. The band, Della Mae, is made up of five incredibly talented women, Celia Woodsmith, Jenni Lyn Gardner, Kimber Ludiker, Courtney Hartman, and Zoe Guigueno, as well as four incredible sounding instruments, guitar, mandolin, fiddle, and bass. Their self-titled album Della Mae was released on May 12 and can currently be bought on iTunes.
This is the bands third album, Della Mae, and their first album was self released and titled I Built This Heart and their second album, This World Oft Can Be, was Grammy-nominated in 2013 for Best Bluegrass Album of the year. The eleven track album features intensely emotional songs which give you a feel for what authentic bluegrass music really is. The band was built by Kimber Ludiker after forming a joke band under the name of Big Spike Hammer but once the band realized its potential it grew in what is now Della Mae. Each band member brings a special talent to the band and represents a different state within the United States (Washington, Wyoming, Colorado, Vermont and South Carolina).
Della Mae features eleven tracks that express the bands talent and voice. The second track, “Rude Awakening”, came off as a scorned power ballad to me, it’s strong, it’s slightly angry and it’s got something to say. “Can’t Go Back”, the third track is by far my favourite song on this whole album. It’s soft and beautiful, the instrumental breaks and background in this song are so smooth and light, this song made the album for me. “For the Sake of My Heart” is also beautiful, it sends a message. “Have you ever stood at the mountains, as they change from blue to grey to gold, watching the painter’s perfection, oh what a sight to behold” I know what that means to me, take in what is means to you. To me, it says that ones surroundings need to be taken in, something like watching the mountains as the sun rises and the sun sets, as the colours change as the light rolls across them, it’s a beautiful thing that exists, something so pure needs to be appreciated.
If you took the Dixie Chicks added a softer tone and a bluegrass feel to them you would come across Della Mae. These women as exceptionally talented, the stories they tell through their music is inspiring and their instrumental skills could be compared to some of the greats. There is something for any listener on this album, true bluegrass, country, folk, and mixes and combinations of each. I truly truly love this album.
If you go to their website right now there’s a link to a free download of their first track from this album “Boston Town” as well as listen to the full track “Empire” from their second album This World Oft Can Be.