Best of 2024: Willi Carlisle - Critterland
by Elliot Novak
Some people are born with the knowledge of great albums, others have great albums thrust upon them (or, however that quote goes). In this scenario, I was lucky enough to fall into the latter category. I first came across Willi Carlisle in August. A meeting of chance as I had just happened to attend one of his sets at the Mile of Music festival in Appleton, Wis. and I had no idea how quickly this album would climb through the ranks of my top albums of 2024.
From the get-go, Critterland is a certified “toe-tapper.” The banjo, harmonica and fiddle (along with a variety of traditional country instruments) featured on the album draw the listener in, having them bob their head along enthusiastically as Carlisle regales them with tales of an anarchist commune, a funeral, a lamb with two heads and a corrupt sheriff, among others. The opening track “Critterland” is one of the more lighthearted tunes on the album, recounting a need to escape from the busyness of urban life to a world of sparrows, possums and unashamed love.
Though the melodies are often cheerful and upbeat, Carlisle’s lyrics paint reflective and often somber pictures for his audience. Both “Dry County Dust” and “The Arrangements” move away from the more enthusiastic ideation of “Critterland” to a more reserved and pointed mourning tone. To accompany Critterland, Carlisle released an EP Tales From Critterland, featuring live versions of both the title track and “The Arrangements,” allowing for a deeper exploration of the story behind each song. “The Arrangements” amplifies Willi Carlisle’s ability to blend emotional topics with a resilient delivery. Depicting a funeral for a less than stellar father, Carlisle croons of generational cycles and the complicated grieving process for someone that left an onerous mark on your life.
While Critterland contains many songs that feature various critters, perhaps none center around an animal as much as “Two-Headed Lamb.” An homage to Laura Gilpin’s poem “Two-Headed Calf,” the song chronicles the tragic story of a lamb, born seemingly just to die. “Two-Headed Lamb” speaks of the lamb from the perspective of the old man who discovers it posthumously, and reflects on the presence of death in a calming meadow. Though the poem itself is already an emotional read, Carlisle’s interpretation adds another layer to the desolate tale, connecting the lamb’s short life to those who feel ostracized by the society they are born into.
“When the Pills Wear Off” is one of the emotional peaks on this album, the lyrics “They say I’ll get over him I just need time / I think Jesus sent an angel, stuck needles in his thigh / And the old freight trains, they whistle and whine / They shake the whole damn house, like we did when he was alive” pierce through the comforting strings, progressing in emotion to a warbled fiddle accompanying the bridge. A culmination of love, desperation and loss, “When the Pills Wear Off” shines a beautifully tragic light on the all too common occurrence of drug overdoses.
Blending traditional folk and country instrumentals and styles with more minimalist spoken word storytelling, the closing track “The Money Grows On Trees” tells the story of an Arkansas sheriff that conspires with a drug dealer. The song is reminiscent of the tales of police officers that worked as moonshiners during Prohibition. Each refrain of the song implores the audience to chime in as it progresses. “The Money Grows On Trees” provides a fitting ending to Critterland, as a lone banjo fades into the calming rain.
Through and through, Critterland is a work of art, detailing issues of both the past and present, delivering them to the listener in a wonderfully complex collection.
Highlight Track: “When the Pills Wear Off”