Madisen Ward & the Mama Bear: Skeleton Crew | Album Review

You can see why Madisen and Ruth Ward would prove so appealing to journalists due to the relative rarity of mother-and-son duos. But the real attraction comes when they start singing.

Their sound was honed over six years on the coffeehouse circuit around Kansas City and their hometown of Independence, Missouri, so Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear’s roots are raw and full-bodied.

Each song is painted with stripes of country, folk, blues, gospel and r’n’b, all delivered with the son’s tough, gritty vocals and sweetened by the mother’s gentle riffs and harmonies.

Live by the Water and Modern Day Mystery are fantastic wallops of modern folk, both benefiting from great skill in the songcraft department, while Undertaker & Juniper shows the true power of the son's striking voice.

[ madisenwardandthemamabear.com ]