Maybe Sweet Magnolia’s saxophonist Meg Dwyer is on to something by combining her New Orleans Brass Band experience with original compositions sung from a woman’s perspective. It’s brass-focused, but with Dwyer’s vocals, it’s also singer-songwriter-centric, which may never have been done before in this combination. Compared to its 2022 debut EP, Glitter in the Bathtub, Sweet Magnolia has made significant strides in developing a fuller sound with more interactive and tighter interplay among its four-piece horn section. Whether a tune is kicked off by Dwyer’s saxophone, Brandon Ramone’s trumpet, Glennon Davalos Stanton’s trombone, or Adrian Rontondo-McCord’s funky sousaphone, the intros are usually earworms before the tunes get rolling and build up steam.
Miss Missed Connection primarily follows a theme of missed connections, meaning when potential opportunities fizzle out. The most apparent song fitting the theme is the peppy radio friendly “Out of My Mind.” As the sassy-voiced Dwyer sings about futile attempts to eradicate an ex from her cranium, the horns bop a little rhythmic pattern between her vocals. That eventually leads to a grandiose build-up that whisks the song out with a bang.
Dwyer is undoubtedly a master of intriguing arrangements. “Hate to Love You” blasts off with a brass attack and Rotondo-McCord’s groovy low-frequency lines before keyboardist Ainsley Matic comes whirling in. Dwyer, Ramone, and Stanton quickly trade solos before returning to the main opening line. “Girl With the Bass” closes spectacularly with a series of modulations that practically ascend to the heavens.
Dwyer’s songwriting can be brutally honest and confessional, such as “Not For Me,” in which she sings, “Maybe love’s not for me,” and acceptingly concludes with “And that’s fine,” which seems more like a resignation than acceptance.
However, not all songs are deeply personal. “Take Me Back” nostalgically reminiscences about coming out of quarantine when people were joyful about the return of live music. The horns’ long, sustained notes, followed by quick staccato pops, are haunting and hypnotizing. Midway through, Matic’s groovy organ solo adds to the intensity as the horns slip in and out.
Though there are plenty of unforgettable moments, what’s equally astounding is how skillful engineer Mike Harvey gave Dwyer’s vocals the proper prominence to hear the lyrics clearly without being overshadowed by the band. Without this clarity, Sweet Magnolia may as well be an instrumental-only band. But that’s not the case, and every piece of the puzzle fits snugly together.
