12. June 2025
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Media Review

Watchhouse – Rituals

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Watchhouse - Rituals

Watchhouse - Rituals
4.6

Rating

 4.6/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Very versatile and fine album
  • Beautiful harmony between vocals and instruments

Rituals is already the eighth album of the US-American duo Watchhouse. You might know them under their former band name, Mandolin Orange, though. I had a listen to the album, which has been released on 30th May 2025.

 

Watchhouse – About The Artists

Watchhouse are a folk and Americana duo, which has been formed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in 2009. The two members are Emily Frantz (vocals, violin, guitar) and Andrew Marlin (vocals, mandolin, guitar, banjo), who are also married to each other. They released their debut album Quiet Little Room in 2010. However, this album was still under the original band name Mandolin Orange, which the duo used until 2019. The last Mandolin Orange album Tides of a Teardrop topped the US Heat Charts. Rituals is the sophomore album released under the band name Watchhouse.

 

Watchhouse – Rituals – Track by Track

The eleven track album lasts 41 minutes..

1. Shape

The album starts with the calm and lyrical Shape. Andrew Marlin takes the vocal lead in this song, which is nicely driven by the instruments. The song feels to cool you down in a stressful world. Thus, it is a promising beginning of Rituals. 

2. All Around You

All Around You is one of three songs which Watchhose have shared before the album already. The song has a stronger folk music touch, but also creates a very warm and plushy atmosphere. The lyrics are poetic, but also rather straightforward. A really nice listen.

Home, home, home, home
Can’t you feel it, right behind you
Ain’t it always just ahead and all around you too

3. Beyond Meaning

With Beyond Meaning, Watchhouse present the first song of the album, which comes with a stronger beat. The style of the song also feels more country-alike than the songs before. Nonetheless, the couple keeps a calm, unagitated mood. The focus is on the storytelling and the atmosphere of the track. They do good in that.

4. Rituals

The title track Rituals starts with slow drumming and a keyboard melody. Andrew Marlin sings I can’t recall the reason for my rituals
I’m so spiritual, I just exist in total bliss. This nicely describes the mood of the whole album. The title track definitely plays a key role in this 2025 publication.

5. Firelight

So far, Andrew Marlin was majorly the leading vocalist of the Rituals songs. With Firelight, the high voice of Emily Frantz is taking that role. The song gets a very dreaming, fine touch by that – and the instruments feel to join perfectly to that.

6. False Harbors

With False Harbors, the album introduces stronger country vibes. Marlin is back in the lead vocals and performs this song in absolute beauty again. Again, Watchhouse have a lovely balance between vocal and instrumental elements.

7. In The Sun

Oh I’m dreaming of a life with you in the sun
And I hope our time together has only just begun

The monotonously strumming guitar at the beginning of the song leads to a rather dark and depressing feeling. Indeed, In the Sun, is not coming with the mood you might expect based on the first two lines and the song title. This three minute episode of the record adds a very different flavor to the album. Not sure if I like that bitter taste though.

8. Glistening

There is a certain monotony at the beginning of Glistering as well. However, the song develops a wider range of aspects and is thus turning into a more and more interesting listen with an interesting plot. I really like it.

9. Endless Highway (pt. 1)

There is a longer break between Endless Highway (Pt. 1) and the song thereafter, Sway – Endless Highway (pt .2). Nonetheless, if you put these two parts together, you receive an almost ten minute listen. The first part invests a lot into its atmosphere and instrumental width. The vibes rather remind me of world music.

10. Sway – Endless Highway (pt. 2)

The second part of this double track comes with stronger country and blues vibes. The fiddle has some very present parts as well. Overall, these 6:37 minutes are very virtuous and have a lovely, sometimes surprising plot.

11. Patterns

The closing song welcomes the listener with bluegrass vibes. Later, the less than three minutes track rather leans towards country music with a traditional twist.

 

Watchhouse – Rituals – Spotify

Here is the album on Spotify:

 

Watchhouse – Rituals – My View

I really enjoyed listening to rituals. If you are looking for a cheeky album, which makes you move and dance, you are not right in here. The fine sound of the eleven tracks, which all offer some different vibes, are really interesting to listen to. Furthermore, I already praised the beautiful harmony between the vocals and the instrumental parts. Definitely a good record.

Favorite Song:Sway – Endless Highway (pt. 2)

 

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