Aila and Elisha Wildman are on a voyage of self-discovery and you’re welcome to tag along. The Virginia siblings, who released a callow debut album back in 2017, have hit their stride with the belated follow-up Longtime Friend, an enticing buffet of Americana sounds that feels like the start of something special.
Although the duo’s first longplayer, Wandering Thoughts, stayed close to their bluegrass roots, Longtime Friend stretches out, spanning early alt-country, folk, and even pop, as well as mountain music, ignoring artificial boundaries. Produced by fellow Virginian Nicholas Falk, this unpretentious affair strikes a balance between the Wildmans’ instrumental prowess – Aila’s a hotshot on fiddle and Elisha shines on guitar and mandolin – and their appealing voices. Alia, who takes most of the lead vocals, generates a languid heat reminiscent of the young Bonnie Raitt; the twosomes’s keening vocal harmonies echo the classic duets of acknowledged favorites Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris. Falk’s wife, the gifted singer-songwriter Dori Freeman, contributes backing vocals on five tracks, adding to the family affair.
