Keith Wood’s adored Hush Arbors returns w/ "Easy by Nature"

Keith Wood is behind all things Hush Arbors, a moniker he adopted over two decades ago that has released an outstanding body of work with immense titles such as “Yankee Reality”, “Ziggy’s Theme”, “Hush Arbors”, “Much Older I Arrive” (more specifically the incredible number “Dessert Life”), “Landscape of Bone” and so many others. I was first made aware of Wood’s work some years back through our mutual pal James Toth aka “Wooden Wand” and like Toth’s music, I was completely head over heels upon first hearing it. The soft and delicate cadence of Wood’s voice cascading over his guitar style while textured doomsday feedback blasts through time like various eons all very intentionally and calculated. So much elemental surf is expressed and explored throughout Wood’s repertoire, but his latest release, “Easy by Nature”, truly embodies this more lax journey through an aquatic ecosystem of surging weather and mediation perfection. Recorded between 2017/2018 and originally set for release in the Spring of 2020, the album expresses such significant embrace and love throughout its partially instrumental landscape. With his daughter due shortly after wrapping up production in 2019, the world was completely turned upside shortly after. Its pockets emptied and its heart and soul robbed, Wood ultimately put the record on ice for the unforeseeable future. Now, nearly 7 years later, Wood has brought the music to the surface like some ancient sunken ship containing an excellency of sound, spirit and emotion.

Across its 8 tracks, the album opens its large serene doors with “Juni’s Theme”. Named after his daughter Juniper, the track gives the listener this vivid experience of rebirth behind closed eyes while warm holy light flickers in some sacred classroom of faith and teaching. The sun burns over various crops of wheat, grain and barley as friendly insects hatch and take flight in the coming Spring winds of California. From land to sea, “Easy by Nature” is an extremely personal and vibrantly delicate release as Wood expresses his devastating loss, a world full chaos and radical upheaval. As the album presses on with splendid vibrations such as “Sometimes” and “Crater Dust”, it touches down on a number that is so friendly and familiar. “Saturday” is this MBV inspired piece that effortlessly dances around the glow of sugar birthday candles and silly succulents made of green and red store-bought icing. With oxygen quick to crash into them like salty waves of ancient minerals and near perfect surf, the soot begins to slowly rise to the ceiling filling the room with a light smoke and hydrocarbon based faded memories. Wood turned to this music to help guide him through tremendously difficult times and because of this we now have a new Hush Arbors record to guide us through yet another year of ‘occupation Earth project - 2024”. Thank God we have Keith Wood!