Tall Tall Trees is songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Mike Savino. A Wave of
Golden Things, his fourth studio album, opens with the distantcrow of a rooster
and takes off in a dust cloud of swirling banjo, drums, and bass, melding the
influences of Pink Floyd and Cat Stevens with inspiration from banjo pioneers
Earl Scruggs and Bela Fleck.
Savino, who self-records and produces his music, abandoned the heavily-layered
textures of 2017's Freedays for a more organic, stripped-down approach on A
Wave of Golden Things, leaving his distinct voice as the centerpiece and opting
for an immersive experience-setting up residence and a mobile recording rig on
a hemp farm in the Appalachian mountains.
Despite the sparse arrangements, Savino still manages to evoke the sonic
imagery and pastoral landscapes that have often been hallmarks of Tall Tall Trees
albums. Each of the eight songs that make up A Wave of Golden Things suggest
a world unto itself.
Reflective of the dark and challenging times of today, Savino's message is
ultimately one of hope and finding peace of mind in the chatter of the modern
world. The last chorus reaches towards a transcendent beauty in the darkness,
and makes a promise: "a wave of golden things, it waits for you."
