Hardin Burns
Album: Down The Deep Well
Label: Ithaca
Tracks: 10
Website: http://www.hardinburns.com

Hardin Burns is simply Andrew Hardin and Jeannie Burns working together as a duo. They're already familiar to Americana fans, of course - Andrew especially for his work with Tom Russell, and Jeannie as one of the fabulous Burns Sisters group. Hardin Burns' debut album as a duo, Lounge, was highly praised when it came out in 2012, but unaccountably passed me by. But if it's as good as this followup, then I'm sure it'll be worth tracking down.

Down The Deep Well is an enticing collection that marries country, folk and wider Americana with a smattering of blues, and although it's primarily an acoustic-based disc the duo aren't afraid to use stylish and tasty electric touches when the mood demands, courtesy of support musicians Gabriel Rhodes, David Carroll and Dony Wynn.

The set comprises Jeannie and Andrew's jointly penned originals for the most part, the lone cover being Richard Thompson's Walking On A Wire; this song's a natural choice for a duet performance, but interestingly, it's done here as a solo by Jeannie not Andrew - and a finely expressive account she turns in too.(with sister Terry guesting on backing vocals). And the originals are all of high quality, I might also say audibly tailored for Jeannie and Andrew themselves to sing. Although vocal duties do get shared out, it's fair to say that Jeannie, in taking the lead on the vast majority of the cuts, provides the disc with its high points (not to play down Andrew's own vocal character or expertise, as we hear on the closer Wave Of Your Hand).

There's a sense of harnessed power about Jeannie's singing that's both attractive and compelling, with distinct shades of Chrissie Hynde on tracks like Back Porch and Ache - the latter also incorporating a decidedly Thompsonesque feel, complete with powerhouse twang electric guitar part. She turns on a yearning honky-tonk delivery for the regretful yet defiant Get Back Home, whose gentle step almost belies the emotional strength of its sentiment. In all, Down The Deep Well plumbs those thar depths with plenty of absolutely classic writing and playing, and I just love the deliciously understated grooves the musicians conjure up in service of the songs.

David Kidman