Sawtooth Witch – The Chariot

If you’ve paid attention to what’s happening in contemporary alternative and indie rock music, you’ve probably noticed they’ve thrived over the past couple of years, with so many artists and bands delivering some of the best work these genres have seen in decades. Music outlets are giving their best in order to sound innovative as much as possible, but it always seems like there’s something missing. Whether they’re  mimicking something renowned greats have recorded and released decades ago or overly experiment with various styles to the point it’s not alternative or indie rock anymore, in the end, many of them sound just the same. Thankfully, there are bands like Sawtooth Witch who know how to do it right. With “The Chariot,” they break all the rules and shapeshift the boundaries of what alternative and indie music could and should be. Pat ‘Doc’ Dougherty and Haley Fleming poured heart and soul into this material, and you can hear all the time and effort invested in these songs. Through deep, poetic storytelling, Sawtooth Witch explore various sentiments, moods, situations, and circumstances, making “The Chariot” a highly relatable material that will immediately resonate with the broader audience. Sonically, perhaps this material carries all the fundamental elements of alternative and indie music, but as usually is the case, there’s always more than meets the eye. Sawtooth Witch also included some of the finest properties borrowed from blues rock, country, Americana, and even some house. They use all these additional sonic ingredients as more than necessary enhancements, accentuations, decorations, and other details to uplift these songs to new heights while simultaneously remaining loyal to the primary sonic direction. With a combination of styles like this, Sawtooth Witch has crafted an ultimate collection of songs adorned with qualities that meet all the trends in modern music production, yet it resonates with soundscapes that remind you of taverns and country bars.

From the onset, it becomes apparent how much time and effort Sawtooth Witch put into writing, composing, arranging, and producing this material. Each song arrives with a perfect structure, garnished with many clever arrangements, profoundly detailed segments, brilliant ideas, and outstanding musicianship. The first detail that will catch your attention is definitely Pat ‘Doc’ Dougherty’s soulful, passionate, sincere, confident, and powerful vocal performance, which serves as a centerpiece of this material, commands attention, and guides listeners on an epic journey through the expansive sonic universe. His vocal range flawlessly balances low, mid, and high notes with such precision and finesse, emphasizing everything Sawtooth Witch intended to achieve with this album. Besides decorating all the segments and instrumentations, Pat ‘Doc’ Dougherty’s vocal performance also contributes more than necessary emotional depth and complexity over an already intricate song structures. You’ll also hear how the additional vocal layers, back vocals, and sing-alongs bring more depth, detail, and anthemic vibes during some compositions. In the meantime, you’ll hear how the interplay between acoustic and electric guitar, piano, and keys shapes a perfect backdrop for all the vocals to shine upon. Depending on the song’s mood, Sawtooth Witch incorporates chord progressions delivered on acoustic or electric, or both, crafting a lush soundscape that immediately wraps around the listening apparatus and refuses to let go long after the composition ends. You’ll stumble upon many catchy, memorable, engaging chord progressions, riffs, harmonies, melodies, themes, accentuations, and other sonic maneuvers. The piano and keys further decorate this fine piece of sonic artistry by delivering more melodic themes over the top. You’ll also hear instruments such as the fiddle or violin, contributing more melody, depth, and detail over the top. Although it may seem like too much instrumentation, everything is so cleverly stacked together. It’s nearly mindblowing how all those layers articulate together without spoiling each other, proving that Sawtooth Witch thought about everything while writing and composing this album.

You’ll also hear how many deep, low-end notes arrive from the piano, but you’ll definitely stumble upon a bass guitar along the way. These deep, intricate, vividly hearable, warm-sounding basslines contribute more than necessary heaviness, clarity, and depth while simultaneously binding all the mentioned instrumentations with rhyhtmic patterns. Sawtooth Witch also incorporated many cleverly programmed, well-accentuated, moderate beats, breaks, fills, and other percussive acrobatics. Each rhyhtmic pattern provides more than necessary groove and detail, propelling the entire material to new heights. As you can see and hear, each instrument has its place and purpose here, making “The Chariot” such an incredible album. Songs like “The Hustle,” “You See Me,” “Stories We Tell,” “Coming To America,” “The Punchline,” and “Leave The Light On” are definite standouts, but you should listen to this album in its entirety, because “The Chariot” carries some of the finest moments modern alt-country or indie folk music has witnessed in years. Sawtooth Witch have crafted a soulful, emotionally resonant, fascinating debut album that tackles all the senses. With soulful vocals, lush instrumentations, and groovy beats, it carries everything you ever needed from alternative, indie, or folk music. “The Chariot” is a masterpiece you should not miss. Head to your favorite streaming platform and check it out.