The Observer, September 14, 2007
Volume XL, Issue 3
Over the Rhine heralds the arrival of The Trumpet Child
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In today's musical world, successful "artists" are a dime a dozen. Every summer, some new hip-hop singer who has a knack for writing a catchy hook (or just singing one) skyrockets to fame, only to be forgotten entirely by the next summer. Fame is fleeting, to say the least.
But, for every hundred one-hit wonders, there is that one special band whose talent for songwriting is not one giant game of hit-or-miss, but a well-oiled machine creating richly detailed and always-charming works of musical greatness that never get old.
One such genuinely talented band is relatively unknown Over the Rhine, composed of husband/wife pair Linford Detweiler and Karin Bergquist. Hailing from Cincinnati, where they have developed a near-fanatical following, the duo recently released their 20th studio album, The Trumpet Child. Marking an entirely new chapter in OtR's already diverse musical career, The Trumpet Child experiments with many styles, with the result being something comparable to the soundtrack of a smoky night spent in an underground cabaret.
Detweiler and Bergquist have been performing and writing together since 1991's Till We Have Faces. Sixteen years and 20 albums later, the duo is still performing their traditional style of alternative-folk songs tinged with a hint of jazz, always complete with emotionally heartfelt lyrics. The Trumpet Child is no different. The opener, "I Don't Wanna Waste Your Time", sounds like a forgotten hymn ripped from a Southern Baptist hymnal, with Bergquist's beautiful vocals floating over Detweiler's expertly arranged New Orleans funeral brass opening. Proceeding from gospel-tinged blues to upbeat dirty jazz, the next tracks, "Trouble" and "I'm On A Roll", feature a husky Bergquist singing over slow-burning acoustic guitars.
The title track is one of the standout tracks on the album. Brimming with emotion, Bergquist is at her best vocally here, singing about a savior of the human race over a sparse piano accompaniment with hits of trumpet and saxophone. Bergquist's sultry vocals are what complete this album. She knows exactly how to let just enough emotion pour into her voice without overpowering the instrumental music. Her versatility also shines through here, as she goes from slower tracks such as "Let's Spend the Day in Bed" to up-tempo pieces like "Who'm I Kiddin' But Me" effortlessly. It's almost as if she can sing anything.
Bergquist's vocals may be the bow on the package, but at the center of Over the Rhine's musical gifts are the passionate, emotional lyrics that comprise their songs. Whether writing about desperation for love (It might only take a kiss / For the plot to take a twist / That you hadn't counted on) or the loss of innocence (Silence is loud / Humility is so proud / Nothing is innocent now), their lyrics always fully capture a mood or idea, and flawlessly transfer it to the listener.
In the end, The Trumpet Child stands as one of Over the Rhine's finest albums to date. If you've never heard this passionate duo, The Trumpet Child is the perfect place to start. As to why OtR has not won more fame and acclaim than they have, no sure answer can be given. By all means, OtR should be nationally known, but their fans like them better just the way they are: regionally successful, with a legion of diehard fans. When an OtR song comes on, fans can still feel like Bergquist is singing just to them, and that's just the way it should be.
