Photo by Steven Cohen
You can tell a lot from a record collection. Scott Wooldridge may be one of the few people whose includes albums by Judee Sill, Mott the Hoople and Klaatu, along with the usual suspects. Like Lenny Kaye, Wooldridge made his mark as a music writer and editor, all the while straddling the responsibilities of playing in a band. The Indiana-bred singer-songwriter moved to Milwaukee after Violent Femmes and The BoDeans signaled it as the next musical mecca. With a few like-minded Hoosier émigrés he formed The Squares, a band that gained some renown around these parts before splitting off with sibling Brian to form The Wooldridge Brothers, who continue off and on to this day.
With the help of a Kickstarter campaign, Wooldridge released his self-titled debut album in late January. For those who have followed his career, this is the album he has long had in him—a blend of acoustic-based songs that utilizes arrangements framed by acoustic guitar, steel guitars, bouzouki, violin, viola and electric piano, with a bit of electric guitar and drums. Wooldridge recorded the album in his current home base of Minneapolis, with main collaborators Sloan Hamilton and Josh Braun and a handful of other players.
Wooldridge met Hamilton and Braun via Craigslist musician ads and they have developed a chemistry that highlights the songs. That chemistry also allowed them to move beyond the rock clubs and adapt to other venues.
We’ve played both bars and coffeehouses. We’ve done some outdoor festivals as well,” Wooldridge says. “It’s a sound that can fit a lot of different types of venues. Sometimes I miss having bass and drums, but I feel like with this setup, it’s easy to transport, it’s not too loud and, at the same time, not too mellow. We can work with a very minimal PA if necessary, so there’s a lot of flexibility there.”
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Observation has long been a lyrical hallmark of Wooldridge’s songs. “Hard to Go Quietly” reflects his experiences on Facebook posts. One of the most even-keeled social commentators you will come across, his measured response is refreshing. With “Something to Say,” he elaborates on the desire to continue playing his songs as real life and parental responsibilities enter the equation.
Wooldridge balances his pop sensibilities (“If You Don’t Keep Running You Fall Behind”) with the late night vibe of “Give it to the River,” which pairs jousting mandolin with haunting steel guitar. Throughout the dozen songs, it is clear the players listened and allowed for space and dynamics.As someone who has experience in both the Milwaukee and Minneapolis music scenes, how do they compare?
“Milwaukee has plenty of talent, but some of it goes to other cities,” Wooldridge says. “With Minneapolis, most artistic types stay here and many more come here. So the basic pool of musicians and fans is much larger. I think it’s fair to say the Twin Cities has more of everything: more bands, more fans, more clubs, etc. The cities are really known for music and people take pride in the music scene.”
The Scott Wooldridge Trio plays Shank Hall on Friday, Feb. 27 at 8 p.m. Also on the bill are Sheboygan’s You Go First and Steve Dawson and Diane Christiansen (from Chicago’s Dolly Varden).
