Dust on Their Boots: The Iddy Biddies' Intimate World Inside
As I listen to The Iddy Biddies’ new album, “The World Inside,” I feel as though they’ve strolled right into my living room, covered in the dust from their travels and bringing all their stories along for the ride. The group formed at Berklee School of Music and is fronted by Gene Wallenstein. They take an approach to making indie-folk music that involves more of a conversational atmosphere than just identifying this style of music with just a genre. “The World Inside” is the next chapter for this group; as such, it deepens the conflict and increases tension on the quest.
Where the first album, “The World Outside,” introduced a new voice, the second album represents an evolution of that original vision. The eleven tracks are an exploration of the duality between what we present to others when we perform, and who we really are during those quiet moments alone. This theme is very much in evidence with the driving beat of the song “Fortunate Sons,” which is a very intense response to societal constructs that have been passed down through generations. It continues into the dreamy/pysch-pop vibe of “It’s Just A Show,” which draws inspiration from Alan Watts, and is layered over irony and static, ambivalence, and reluctant acceptance.
Musically, the group is heavily focused on rhythmic propulsion and the Beatles' harmonic approach to songwriting (such as chromaticism and odd-numbered beats), as well as melodies that tend to feel a bit off-kilter similar to that nagging thought you can't quite shake. Similarly, the title track presents itself as an insistent weight to your lungs, heavy as ash lingering in the air. The track "Strange World" presents atmospheric soundscapes combined with dissonance to create a sonic representation of both systemic fear and your internal noise. Another track, "Mr. September," depicts a Bohemian-psychedelic character as he shuffles across the landscape with a traditional and slightly curious demeanor mixed with a sense of quiet danger.
What sets the sound of The Iddy Biddies apart is not the amount of polishing; it is their closeness to the everyday. Wallenstein draws inspiration from the mundane moments in our lives, such as a tired commuter sitting on a bus, or a waitress counting down minutes till her shift ends, and finds beauty within these moments. Listening to The Iddy Biddies feels much less like being "consumed," and much more like being invited in. You could grab a chair, grab a beer, and just sit and enjoy the weight of your surroundings.
In an age where we are so preoccupied with the spectacle of our electronic age, The World Inside has chosen to focus on the connection we all share as human beings, and that choice makes an immediate impact that resonates deeply with the audience.