Rich, All-Encompassing Country

Five years since their first album came out, indie folk duo the Winterlings have now released their awaited sophomore album, You Are Acres, and it was certainly worth the wait. Amanda Birdsall and Wolff Bowden are not only members of the Winterlings, but partners in life, bringing an even more personal touch to the album. The use of banjitars, a harmonium, a violin, a ukulele, and a foot-drum ring (among other instruments) up the uniqueness factor of You Are Acres.

You Are Acres, which was named for the rich, natural imagery taken from its lyrics, is an eclectic compilation that discusses life, death and everything in between. The theme of nature is evident with track one, “Opening Line.” Lyrics like, “cedars breathe out and we all breathe in/We are only alive because they are also alive/ Our happiness is woven into the happiness of all living things,” show the connectivity of nature. Track two, “Happy for Hunger,” talks about being thankful for what you have, including everything in nature, down to the spiders and the apple orchards. Birdsall sings of feeling like summer, which is easily relatable—the idea that everything is warm and care-free.

“While We Were Sleeping” is another nature-driven track, but this time tackling a heavier issue: climate change. The tone of the song may be free-spirited and fun, but the message is not. “While we were sleeping the weather got warmer / And all of the icebergs they went / And astronauts noticed black spots on the ocean / Like boils on the chests of the dead.” Birdsall and Bowden sing about shining a light on this issue—as each new line of the song sheds light to the unfortunate effects climate change has had on the environment.

Birdsall and Bowden do not leave any aspect of nature behind in their lyricism. From the mountains to the dirt on the ground, there is a lyric for it within You Are Acres. “Acres,” has references to the Earth with all-encompassing lyrics like, “You are gravel / You are glaciers / You are acres” However, these nature references seem to be symbolic of the importance of a certain relationship, and how it is everything to them.

“If I Was Away,” is a song about a relationship, and leaves the listener with mixed emotions. He seems to care for the one he’s singing about with lyrics like, “If I was a breath, I’d fill your empty chest,” and “if I was a poet I would know just what to say,” but he doesn’t seem to be with the person in the song. Bowden sings about all the things he’d do if he were a radio, a river, a dancer, but always ends with “And If I was away, I’d come back to you someday.” He leaves the one he’s singing to with hope that no matter what happens in life he’ll eventually find his way back even if he isn’t there at the time.

There are a few other tracks worth mentioning on You Are Acres. The happily-paced “When We Were Young,” is nostalgic, along with the bittersweet, “Father I,” which reminisces about a father’s life. “Echo” is reflective and “Secondhand Man” is about falling short. All melodious in their own ways, these songs add even more depth to the album.

You Are Acres overloads your senses, in the kindest sense of the term. Its lyrics are reminiscent of an incredibly good book, one where you can immerse yourself in the story thanks to the excess of detail. Listeners can smell the apples Birdsall and Bowden sing of, they can feel the moss-covered grass, they can envision the cedars breathing in and out and the rivers flowing. The Winterlings have painted a picture, bringing immeasurable life to their music.