I’ve been listening to the Wood Brothers, Ways Not To Lose all day. Those familiar with Medeski Martin and Wood, will no doubt recognize Chris Wood’s bass playing on this record, but this music is in a complete different direction than what you would expect to hear from MMW. It’s a great folk album, plain and simple. Oliver Wood’s southern influenced lyrics are perfect for any time of day. I was excited to see that they are going to be playing Summerfest this year on July 5th. Check out the MP3′s below.

The Wood Brothers – One More Day [mp3]
The Wood Brothers – Stealin’ [mp3]
The Wood Brothers – Chocolate On My Tongue [mp3]

From the Wood Brothers site:

Oliver and Chris Wood grew up in Boulder, Colorado. Sons of a Poet and a Microbiologist, they both took up music. Oliver moved to Atlanta and became a southerner. Chris moved to New York City and became a Yankee. Now, after years of musical and geographical separation they have reunited.
While in Atlanta, Oliver soaked up the roots of blues, the soul of the south, and found he had a talent for writing and singing songs. His band, King Johnson (named after Freddy King and Robert Johnson) toured mostly in the southern states. Meanwhile, Chris was living in Manhattan playing everything from free jazz to rock and roll. This is where he met his band mates to form Medeski Martin & Wood.

Now The Wood Brothers have begun a collaboration that combines their shared childhood influences with everything they’ve learned since leaving home. Their music has a rootsy feel that blends blues, folk, and rock music in a guitar/bass duo.

The brothers’ debut album, “Ways Not To Lose” produced by John Medeski, was released on Blue Note Records, March 7, 2006.