On Angel's Wings by Indica Gallery
At first, Indica Gallery's On Angel's Wings may sound spartan, consisting largely of Scott E. Barger's vocals and acoustic guitars by him and musical partner Don Mohr. Not long into the 16 tracks (18 in its digital iteration) on the Milwaukee act's debut album, the sonic depths become apparent. And it's not only due to the arsenal of lead instruments or the effects laden on their strums and riffs.
Seemingly small but memorable effects pepper the Indica Gallery's opening salvo: a woodblock here, a Tibetan yoga cymba there. xylophone elsewhere. The effect is heady, eclectic, and possibly more out there than Barger may have intended, since he claims his primary influences are bands whose rotation on classic rock radio hasn't waned in over 40 years.
Wings' comingling of folk styles rocky and apocalyptic serve an equally syncretistic lyrical viewpoint. Barger's ominous creak of a voice may sound best when he's playing the sage, prophet, or provider of reasonable maxims by which to live. Even in those roles, he can vary from being outright new age to something approaching biblical. Heard less throughout this lengthy work, but providing some of its catchiest numbers, is a tender streak that balances Barger's tendencies with a romanticism that is—improbably—not at odds with the other songs' darker pronouncements.
Indica Gallery's choice of two remakes may rightly encapsulate their philosophy. Their spin on the Plastic Ono Band's biggest hit may even be more of a hippie call to arms, or disarmament, than the original in which John Lennon had a hand. Their take on a number from the Marshall Tucker Band's first long-player is more melodically faithful to its source material and even its instrumentation, with the Gallery emulating the idiosyncratic Southern rockers' use of woodwinds. If Barger, Mohr and whomever else they would need accompanying them can recreate their studio creation in concert, their Wings could fly into numerous directions of crossover. And if they don't or can't, this is still a document of musical parts adding up to significantly more than their apparent sum.
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