Three Decemberists (plus two) add folk, gypsy and classical flavors

This release debuts the collaboration of three Decemberists (instrumentalist Chris Funk, bassist Nat Query and accordionist Jenny Conlee) and two players from the Portland scene (violinist/vocliast Annalisa Tornfelt and guitarist Jon Neufeld). Though the instruments are mostly common to Sugar Hill’s bluegrass and string bands, the results are quite different. Tornfelt’s violin slashes and haunts and together with Chris Funk’s bazouki and Conlee’s accordion adds gypsy touches to several songs. Tornfelt can also bow with the ferocity of a classical player and with Conlee and Neufelt creates a fetching invitation to the floor in “Tango Oscuro.” Two traditional numbers (the moody “Red Rocking Chair” and the atmospheric closer, “Blackest Crow”) are interspersed among mostly instrumental originals. The group gets downright rootsy on “Home Made Lemonade,” but it’s one of only a few tunes that will remind you this is released by Sugar Hill. [©2010 hyperbolium dot com]

MP3 | Red Rocking Chair
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