By Erika Kooda
Nickel Creek’s sixth studio release, “A Dotted Line,” is a comeback album for the band after a seven-year hiatus. The record is chock-full of three-part harmonies and plenty of violin, mandolin, and guitar, as any proper bluegrass album should be, and it’s a well-executed ode to the band’s resurgence. The strong return is evidenced in the signature instrumentals, solid vocals sharing comforting lyrics and a unique spin on the bluegrass/Americana genre.
Nickel Creek formed after Chris Thile and Sean Watkins met while taking mandolin lessons under John Moore in Southern California. Watkins’ sister, Sara Watkins, was also taking lessons, but under Moore’s bandmate, Dennis Caplinger. Now, the lineup is Thile on mandolin, Sara Watkins on fiddle, and Sean Watkins on guitar.
Since its first record in 1993, the band has been known for its instrumentals. Here, the only instrumental tracks are “Elsie,” and “Elephant in the Corn,” but each brings something new to the table with complicated fiddle licks, classically-quick mandolin strums, and a steady bass keeping it all together.
While Thile and Sara Watkins are the two lead vocalists on the majority of the record, all three members have a chance to showcase their vocal talents. In an interview with David Dye on NPR’s World Cafe in May, Sara says the group decided “there’s never enough three-part harmonies. If we think we can throw one in there, we say, ‘Well, why not!’” One of the strongest examples of their harmonic and lyrical talent is on “Rest of My Life,” the first track. Especially after their hiatus, hearing Thile croon “The battle is over” brings a sense of calm before the bluegrass-Americana party characterizes the rest of the record.
Sara displays her stronger, matured female voice on “Destination” and “Where is Love Now.” Arguably the most popular song on the record, “Destination” features empowering lyrics such as, “You don’t owe me/One more minute of your wasted time/You act like it’s all fine.”
Nickel Creek also puts a modern spin on the traditional bluegrass style by incorporating tracks such as “You Don’t Know What’s Going On,” and “Hayloft.” The bass is more prominent, the vocals are quick, and the tempo changes multiple times throughout the tunes. “Hayloft” also has Thile and Sara Watkins splitting the lead vocals, a change for the group, and they also emphasize more percussion. These additions help open the door for the band to expand their audience base, and are just two examples that Nickel Creek is not the same band that took an “indefinite” hiatus in 2007.