Stone and Snow - Delicate and Wild

​Stone and Snow

Delicate and Wild
self-released; 2023

​​By ​Dino DiMuro

Stone and Snow is a highly decorated folk/indie rock duo from Cincinnati, Ohio, that has released five albums to date including the brand new E.P. titled Delicate and Wild. Karen Bridges (vocals/keyboards/percussion) and Clint Thomson (vocals/guitars/harmonica/banjo/mandolin/percussion) began their collaboration in 2012, creating songs with thoughtful lyrics and close harmonies. They named themselves Stone and Snow as a tribute to the mountain landscapes of the West. 

Stone and Snow’s music includes bits of folk, indie rock, swing and soul. One of its many recent kudos was being named “Best Folk/Soul Artist” at the 2022 Richmond International Film & Music Festival. If the duo has a mission statement, it has to do with “elevating women in music” by hosting performances for women artists, collecting data on the gender balance in their local music scene, and being involved in the “Girls Rock!” franchise.

The current album was said to be recorded after “personal struggles for both songwriters, including pandemic divorces and a relocation from Illinois to Ohio.” Recording actually took place in a barn studio on a hill in Lebanon, Ohio by Grammy-nominated producer David Mayfield, who also adds upright bass, backing vocals and percussion in addition to mixing. Mastering was by Adam Boose of Cauliflower Audio in Cleveland.

The opening track “Cruel” was a top entry in the 2020 NPR Tiny Desk Contest, and it’s immediately clear why. The band’s sound is big yet intimate; an amazing mixture of acoustic guitars, piano, bass, simple percussion and especially a thick choir of voices spearheaded by the amazing pipes of Karen Bridges. Bridges has a true country voice, a sweet combination of Mary Chapin Carpenter and Dolly Parton. The barn studio really does sound like a barn, which is partly how the thick “ball of sound” effect comes about. 

“Moonrise” is the album’s lead single (they call it “a beautifully simple, yet haunting love song to the moon”) and sounds like it. The gorgeous chord sequences and interlocking harmonies grab you immediately. This is the kind of song you’re certain has been a Hit in the past, and will probably sound that way well into the future. The natural reverb of the barn really makes the vocals sound like they echo off into forever. I feel like I’m hearing an uncredited string section as well, which adds a whole other flavor to the track.

For “Who Am I” a lone banjo heralds a tune where Bridges moves a bit closer to the mic for a bravura performance with the kind of continuous lyrics that sound like a journal. Thomson joins in for more incredible chorus harmonies on the haunting refrain “Who am I to you, baby?” Thomson takes a few solo banjo moments that sound either tuned low or using gut strings. The percussion is thump-y and creates some amazing audio reflections within the barn.

“Wait” is said to be the last song the duo wrote before the pandemic hit, which makes it ironic as the song’s intent is to project hope and reassurance in the face of disaster (“The war’s been sitting heavy on my mind… the garden grew weeds and the trees blew down”). Harmonica leads the way into the tune, which features the duo’s stellar harmonies from the very first line. The piano has a full, ringing sustain that blends seamlessly with the stringed instruments and the singers. Musically and structurally this song has antecedents in Nanci Griffith or Emmylou Harris. Thomson has a fine voice but even in harmonies it’s hard not to be amazed by the range and power of Bridges’ singing.

“The Hardest Part of Loving You” is described by the band as “an honest look back on the years of a marriage that collapsed during the pandemic.” Whether this song is autobiographical doesn’t matter (though it’s interesting to contemplate). The arrangement here is a sort of bluegrass blues with twangy strumming, clapping percussion and slightly distorted harmonica (there’s a bit of Fleetwood Mac Rumors here). The idea of the song certainly rings true for most of us: “It's like living on a one-way street../ The hardest part wasn't loving you, It was loving me.” The vocals get bigger as the song peaks, celebratory in a way that reminds me of Bonnie Raitt. It also sounds like anyone who was in the room got to sing along!

The final track “Outro” is placed to look “Into the unknown, leaning towards the devil we don’t know.” It’s a short, dramatic and sweet coda where the singers can’t help but question where they’re headed and if they’re alone in this journey. Just two minutes but quite effective in leaving us wanting more, both from this record and life itself.

​These artists are amazing and the real deal. There’s times I wish the barn wasn’t quite so boomy but the quality of the songs and performances pretty much wipe out those concerns. Great music, just waiting to be heard!

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