Lee Zimmerman for Glide Magazine – One might think it’s a bit early in their infancy for string band Twisted Pine to offer up a covers EP. Having written every song on their well-received debut, Dreams might have been conceived as a stopgap of some sort, one designed to give them ample time to write more material of their own origination. After all, a lifetime’s worth of accumulated compositions goes into an initial outing, but there’s a lot less time allowed for a follow-up.
Consequently, it’s understandable that this perky and playful ensemble might want to bide their time and simply offer a set of songs that betrays both influences and intents. While many outfits and artists that aim to revive some standards make no attempt at all to re-imagine the music, Twisted Pine do just that, remaking each of these songs in ways that reflect their own distinctive style. Some of the material is all but unrecognizable unless one leans in and listens, but even then, the group’s giddy approach tends to dominate in ways that ensure these tunes become their own.