Having made a name making the kind of homegrown music that has a tendency to find adoration one way or another, Stick Figure’s multi-instrumentalist and lead Scott Woodruff has managed to find a way to stand apart thanks to his inherent aptitude for composing a song. And now, with Set In Stone, the fifth full length LP, Stick Figure faces the task of living up to 2012’s critically acclaimed Burial Ground, which is not an easy task to say the least.
Stick Figure faces the task of living up to 2012’s critically acclaimed Burial Ground
In 2012, Woodruff released the fourth Stick Figure album, Burial Ground, to exceptionally rave reviews from both fans and critics. The album reached #1 on the iTunes and Billboard Reggae charts and has since toured throughout the United States with headliners such as Rebelution, The Green, Passafire, Tribal Seeds, The Expendables and more.
Set In Stone starts off with a small step, easing the listener in with “Fire on the Horizon,” a silky, immersive, but distinctly ear-warming song with the distinct Stick Figure tone that we all know and love. Woodruff’s psychedelic vocals give the song a strong focal point. As the album progresses, the melodies meld themselves with your brain and your ears traverse the pleasing soundscapes. One quickly realizes that Set In Stone is a lot more than just a collection of songs thrown together.
A slight departure from the simplicity of the 2012 chart topping full length album Burial Ground, Set In Stone still reminds us of the Stick Figure that we fell in love with: searing bottom-heavy bass lines, big hooks, concise and playful synthesizers heard especially in tracks like “Choice is Yours,” “Mind Block,” and “Smokin’ Love.” A heavier weight on synthesizers is apparent, although feels fuller and overall more ambitious. This fuller sound allowed the band to layer and give more depth to songs that others would have let go flat.
Stick Figure will most certainly climb the charts yet again with Set In Stone, putting the dynamic sounds of Stick Figure back at the top and solidifying the album into the band’s pristine legacy.
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Set In Stone track listing
- Fire on the Horizon
- In This Love
- Sound of the Sea
- Choice Is Yours (feat. Slightly Stoopid)
- Mind Block (feat. Eric Rachmany)
- Sentenced
- Out the Door
- Weary Eyes
- Smokin’ Love (feat. Collie Buddz)
- Shadow
- One of Those Days
- All My Love
- Sunshine and Rain
- Smiles on Faces (feat. KBong)
From the River to the Rocks “Choice is Yours”
Release date November 13, 2015 • Ruffwood Records
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Disclaimer: All views presented in this album review are those of the reviewer and not necessarily those of Top Shelf Music.
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