Words by: Julia Poholek

Lizzie & The Makers are beautifully rough around the edges, and on their sophomore album, Dear Onda Wahl, they hold nothing back. Never straying from the intention and drive of the piece, this Brooklyn-based group is able to retain the gritty influence of Southern and English blues-rock while infusing each track with themes of mysticism that echo throughout the album as a whole. What’s more, this work boasts a richly textured landscape of sound-production triumphs that will have listeners languishing in auditory nirvana. This dazzling production work is led by the likes of Grammy winner Mario McNulty [David Bowie, Prince] and Cure guitarist Reeves Gabrels [Tin Machine, Bowie].

After establishing an unapologetically hard hitting sound on their 2015 debut album, Fire from the Heart of Man, the band followed up with a six-song EP in 2017, Meanwhile… A few years have passed, providing a period of growth that’s rewarded them with a piece that shows a clear delineation from their prior work. “There’s a lot of little outer-space, edgy weird sounds incorporated into this record that we didn’t completely embrace on previous records,” powerhouse frontwoman Lizzie Edwards stated. “And in general, as songwriters, we just evolve.” In this record, we see the group occupy a space that is unafraid to evoke lush imagery and play with concepts the members have described as Lynchian, with Twin Peaks serving as a primary influence.

Coming in at nine tracks, this album takes advantage of every opportunity to bring listeners along for a powerful ride. The opening track, “Lover By Proxy,” revs you up with a foundation of low, rhythmic bass aided by a dynamite beat from drummer Steve Williams and grinding melody lick from guitarist Greg McMullen. The moment serves as an official indoctrination into the world of Dear Onda Wahl, with Edwards greeting the dawn of the new album with the opening line, “Rise in the morning/Eyes open to a sunny day.” Just like that, we’re fully immersed.

The album’s leading single, “Mermaid,” features gorgeous vocals and intricate harmonies from Edwards – soft at first, then gradually building into a soaring chorus. The song takes flight through its sharpened sense of musicality, but also through mystic imagery in the lyrics. “Lavender clouds/and a midnight sky” are the introductory lines – abstract and curious enough that they capture and maintain our attention from the start. The chorus asks “What kind of magic is this/I’m not sleeping and it’s dark/A spirit that’s stirring within/That burdens my heart.” Brimming with observational lyrics that artfully describe themes of nature and identity, “Mermaid” proves itself to be a rightful standout. These lofty motifs established early in the album come to play a huge role in the listening experience of the entire piece, casting a sparkling sheen over the grit and grime of a blues undercurrent. 

In tracks like “Magic River,” and “Waiting For The Teeth,” we continue to hear a reverence for the secrets of nature, inner dialogues of the soul, and magical ideology. “Bottle” opens with a playful sonic moment, with audio from within what sounds to be an aircraft warning of thunder and lightning. This feeling of abstraction, of floating through space untethered and unrestrained, is etched deep into the entire work as a whole. These themes are sure of themselves, intentional, and strong enough to uphold and complement the metallic wall of sound that the band puts forth on their respective instruments. The title track, “Dear Onda Wahl,” is a play on words, serving as an homage to a taxidermied deer on the wall of a bar where Lizzie Edwards worked. Perhaps we can view this reference to a wild creature as a subtle nod to themes of nature, life, and the mortality implicit in these explorations.

Closing out the album, “Mojo Hand” delivers on every front you’d want after going on the journey that is Dear Onda Wahl. The track clocks in at a solid seven and a half minutes, opening with an ominous array of minor notes – all of the instruments in conversation with each other. Lizzie comes in softly, breathing life and guidance into a dark soundscape. The song goes on to stagger these opposing forces: airy, dark vocals and instrumentals, then those same elements amped up to a heavy brightness that could knock you out if you’re not ready for it.

Track after track, we see a seasoned band that is completely in the pocket – coming out of the album more sure of themselves than ever before. And as a result, the listener is soaked to the core in a sound that has all but tossed them into the ether of magic and mystery, only to be caught and planted firmly in the grounded force of rock and roll. 

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