Blasting into the soundscapes with trumpets blazing, Sean Wagner And The Ne’er Do Wells blend Irish folk, americana and marching band tunes to complete abandon.
After seeing Monsters University it irritated me that the best tune on the entire soundtrack wasn’t featured on the main OST. It was ‘Gospel’ by the Marchforth Marching Band, and it’s an exciting and uplifting piece of energetic brass work. On listening to Sean Wagner And The Ne’er Do Wells, I found that I had the same feelings as I did when I first heard ‘Gospel’ – the brass parps in all the right places and the overall arrangement is joyous. Vocally, Sean Wagner is indie in tone, leaning towards Be Folds or perhaps They Might Be Giants, and adds to the overall sense of range, variety, and eccentricity that is present on every track.
It’s a heartwarming selection of tunes that is worth taking the time to listen to, at a time when radio pop and mindless hiphop is being pummelled into our ears at every turn. Sean Wagner has presented something new, blending a variety of styles and creating something that sounds genuinely new and enjoyable. It’s hard to pick out a key track – ‘Arcadia’ and ‘Before The Storm’ both have outstanding brass swells that cause the heart to beat a little faster, and each track has something to it that makes it feel that just maybe everthing’s going to work out ok, after all.
By Chris Marsh
