Here you'll find a half hour's worth of bright and breezy acoustic songs described as being recorded in "basements, bedrooms, garages and yurts in and around Portland, Oregon".
Some well judged fiddle, cello or piano backing ensure that the 8 tracks ooze the kind of harmony with nature Folk meets Americana that wouldn't be out of place on an album by Vetiver or 'Sam Beam (Iron & Wine).
Brian Just's voice is assured too, at times reminiscent of Ryan Adams, especially on the more Alt.Country orientated closing track ('Janus').
It's not a record that grabs your attention immediately but two or three listens reveal these to be finely crafted songs.
Occasionally , the lyrics lack the poetic substance they are striving for as on the sickly sweet 'Blue' - "Time stood still and the earth was new/ The ground was dirt and the mountains grew in front of your eyes".
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The songs work better when the imagery is less specific as on the beautuful lines from 'In the Sun:Â Â Â "I am thunder and you are nightmare/ And we are under this night spell". I like these words because they suggest a looser and dreamier quality.
This is an assured collection although one which relies a little too heavily on being tastefully melodic. In my view the songs could be improved still further by stretching the boundaries of the tight song structure to allow for more unexpected or enigmatic flourishes to shine through.
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