Faux Paws - No Bad Ideas [LP]

The Faux Paws once again embrace the unpredictable on their new album, No Bad Ideas, expanding their singular take on roots music and modern grooves. Andrew VanNorstrand (vocals, guitar, fiddle), his brother Noah VanNorstrand (vocals, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, feet percussion) and Chris Miller (vocals, sax, banjo) first started playing together in the traditional contra dance scene, slowly building a reputation as a top dance band. Also featured on the album is friend and powerhouse collaborator Zoe Guigueno, who joins the trio with stunning vocals for a cover of Ron Sexsmith's "Sneak Out the Back Door". Their collective backgrounds inspire a reckless confidence on the No Bad Ideas (as alluded to in the title), effortlessly employing three- and four-part vocal harmonies, dynamic builds, and expansive tonal ear-candy. As a special treat, The Faux Paws include two carefully picked cover songs, of course reimagined with their hallmark treatments that zig and zag through their varied influences. Perhaps most striking about No Bad Ideas is the band's complete disregard for appeasing the mighty algorithm, on which much the music industry precariously teeters in 2025. Instead, the group allows each track to evolve organically. It's an immersive journey inviting the adventurous listener into the sonic world The Faux Paws have been building for nearly fifteen years.