Despite using only three albums as fodder, Nickel Creek, the pop/folk group with a bluegrass twist, is releasing “Reasons Why (The Very Best),” a combination anthology CD and music video DVD, next week.
Drawing from the self-titled “Nickel Creek,” “Why Should the Fire Die?” and “This Side,” the band’s best-of album pulls together an array of beautifully orchestrated and (mostly) lyrically elegant songs, apparently in anticipation of the group’s announced hiatus at the end of its 2007 tour.
While the album doesn’t offer anything new except for two supercharged live songs, it is both a fine introduction for listeners unfamiliar with the group and a decent addition for dedicated fans seeking all things Nickel Creek.
Chris Thile (mandolin), Sara Watkins (violin) and her brother, Sean Watkins (guitar), are all extremely adept musicians capable of producing complex instrumentals (“Smoothie Song” – it’s much better than the lame title suggests); simple, yet beautiful songs (“Out of the Woods”); and multi-layered ballads that more often than not tell decent stories (“The Lighthouse’s Tale”). All three musicians sing, and all three have melodious voices, yet it is the instrumentation that sets the band apart. Thile, especially, stands out on the mandolin (his playing is described as “volatile” in the liner notes.) It certainly can be explosive.
The two live songs on the album are the most intriguing. They are polished, sounding almost as if they were recorded in a studio, yet the musicians really let loose. On “The Fox,” which surpasses nine minutes, each musician takes lengthy forays on complex solos that add depth and personality to an already entertaining song while making listeners feel as if they were standing in the audience seeing the band perform.
The compilation’s DVD, while a nice touch, doesn’t offer anything additional – all the songs except for “Speak” are included on the album. However, it is interesting to see the progression of the band members throughout the videos, which proceed chronologically from the time the band started touring in 2000. Of special note is how Thile’s hair increasingly becomes more stylish as the videos get newer.
The videos themselves are contrived – the band playing on the beach during a sunset with token shots of waves crashing on rocks, the band playing underneath a freeway overpass (in black and white, of course), the band playing in an abandoned house, the band playing on a beach during a sunrise. A Nickel Creek drinking game could be started – take a shot every time Sean Watkins gazes deeply into the camera, penetrating your soul, or whenever Thile looks like he’s in pain while playing the mandolin (it’s like the director refused to let him take restroom breaks.)
Still, the concept of including something more than the album is refreshing. Because the group only pulls songs from three albums, it’s hard to justify spending the money on a best-of. Unless listeners want an overview of Nickel Creek (which would certainly be warranted – it’s an exceptional band) or are such rabid fans they need to have it all, take a pass on “Reasons Why (The Very Best).”
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