Nocturnal Adoration Society is alt-country mandolin and singer Jimmy Ryan (Blood Oranges, Wooden Leg, Hayride) and his wife, bassist and vocalist Donna Sartanowicz, pedal steel man Eric Royer and the rangy, expansive drummer Chris Anazalone. Their sophomore album, All The Time In The World, sums up the easygoing, jovial spirit of this combo and the combined talents that make each track feel like a rustic flight of fancy.
Amicable, chirpy vocals and sweet, brittle mandolin notes, and bright sunny lead guitar phrasing from guest musician Duke Levine add up into one sweet confection of music on “Take Me As I Am.” It’s fun to follow each instrument’s line as well as the vocal because the song’s warm various instrumental flourishes invites everyone along for the ride to a pleasant destination.
“Pathfinder’s Daughter,” pushed along by strapping, slapping drum work, is a chirpy, pedal steel dandy. That pedal steel played by the band’s Eric Royer sings like a morning bird. This down tempo tumbler is loaded with rustic acoustic instrument feel, and, the lead vocal and backing vocal weave it all into a sunny texture. This is the kind of music you want to hear at a country barn dance. Its lead guitar topping is sweet like the twists in soft serve ice cream.
With a darting country lead guitar phrase that creates a communal vibe, “Nah Nah Nah” is a fun singalong. Backing vocal coo as the lead singer, Ryan on this one, finesses his way through the sonic landscape with a friendly husk. That vocal grist and the pretty voices behind it contrast beautifully with that darting lead guitar, a tumbleweed that moves to its own breeze and widens into a more amicable vibe by the end.
A lilting pedal steel melody gives title track “All The Time In The World” a lilting beauty, a sense of drifting, gliding through a bright blue sky with bright white clouds. Donna Sartanowicz applies her sweet, soft vocal timbre, spreading it gingerly over the top of this song’s tender surface. Taken all together, with some additional electric guitar phrasing, and Ryan’s sweet, shiny mandolin notes, in their brittle brevity contrasting sweetly with that pedal steel, this song just makes one feel good.
Guest musician Dana Colley’s baritone saxophone adds a fuzzy jubilation to “Right Time.” Colley just fills it up with a marching band’s parade motion. Sartanowicz sings this one with more muscle, like she’s pulling the lilting song in a vibrant upward motion. Chris Anazalone’s plucky drum fills kick it into an ambling motion, and a that pedal steel announces itself with pretty strains. There’s plenty of Jimmy Ryan’s shiny, traveling mamdo notes, and that caps off the lively sunny afternoon vibe of this ditty.
The breezy “Straight Into Trouble” finds Ryan adding a lively rhythm support to his and Sartanowicz dual lead vocals. Taking their sweet time unfurling this, their voices blend with the zig zagging pace of Eric Royer’s melodic pedal steel glide. It’s the way those two voices ride through this song that keep things just dark enough to intrigue, just dark enough to contrast with brighter mando notes. Perfect.
The rolling nature of “What Could I Do” gives it a rambling feel. The two singers engage in an easygoing, down tempo sprawl, spreading their warm, sprawling vocals over soft rolls of instrumentation. Drum fills from guest Dave Westner nudge it forward while keeping it at its own special pace. Mando and guitar notes are sprinkled over all like jimmies on an ice cream and the entire rustic atmosphere makes one wish the song was longer.
Close out track “Sweet Lies” bounces along a merry path. A pedal steel line keeps it pretty while Ryan’s lilting, handsome vocal is another pulling force here. This one just pulls you into its constant motion, a ride that moves smoothly with plenty of hilly roads to make one feel its fun sense of travel.
Nocturnal Adoration Society, while connoting a sense of darkness and intrigue with their combo’s name, actually manage to keep the sunny peace in this All The Time In The World album. The band member’s and guest musicians gel perfectly, making each of their tunes a pretty, shining, and sometimes rollicking gem.
Jimmy Ryan mandolin – The Nocturnal Adoration Society
