The Wilders, Someone’s Got to Pay (Free Dirt Records, 2008)

           The Wilders released their CD, Someone’s Got to Pay, on April 15th. In this thematic recording, the payment due is a good deal more than taxes. The CD begins with “Wild Nory” who stands on the railroad ties and learns “How God could still a troubled mind;” it ends with “Goodbye” with its bouncy chorus: “Oh I won’t lie, I want to die, Say Goodbye.” This final song is subtitled “I’ve seen it all” and on this CD “all” includes murder.

           One of the band members, Phil Wade, served on a jury in a first degree murder trial. As the CD progresses, so does the trial. We move from “Sittin’ on Jury: Prologue” to “Prosecution,” “Defense,” “Verdict,” and then “Epilogue.” Each of these trial stages is introduced by a brief piano instrumental. In the first three stages the juror addresses the judge and pleads to be let off the jury. As the trial progresses so does his distress: “Hey Mr. Judge let me off of this jury, I don’t want to hear another word . . . can’t bear to hear another word . . . can’t stand to hear another word.” The jury reaches its verdict in seven hours and forty-three minutes, “sending poor Davey away for life." The juror speaks of being forever haunted by Davey’s face.

           In the liner notes, Wade makes it clear that there was no doubt about the guilt of the accused, but he adds, “In this, as in all murder ballads, two lives were lost.” I’d change that to “at least two.” The haunting of the juror shows us more victims.

           Wade writes, “As I listened to the testimony unfold, I was nagged by the familiarity of it all. It was an old murder ballad come to life.” The Wilders are part of that tradition, and their inspired playing (Ike Sheldon on acoustic guitar and piano, Betse Ellis on fiddle, Nate Gawron on electric and acoustic bass, and Phil Wade on mandolin, banjo, and acoustic guitar) showcases its power and energy.