Two Coats Colder
Album: Unseen Highway
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 11
Website: http://www.twocoatscolder.com

As you might surmise from the title, "Unseen Highways" is a journeys album, but rather than being a road album this album takes in the highways and byways of life down dark country roads and urban alleyways, along the short cuts that end up in metaphorical cul-de-sacs and farmyards. There's also the coming over a rise to a magnificent view or architectural paradise.

I've deliberately given both rural and urban examples, because there are songs that really capture both idioms here, similarly, "Unseen Highway" stretches across the traditional and into the contemporary with a blend of self penned tracks and cover versions, neatly arranged to give the album a really together feel.

That feel of togetherness is enhanced by the beautiful harmonies, ranging from two to four piece, depending on the requirements of the songs, that permeate the album. It's an album where the vocal quality is a real highlight. The lead vocal duties are predominantly split between Anna Bass and Ray Taylor, who founded Two Coats Colder, originally as a duo, but subsequently expanded to a four piece.

The expansion has allowed them to build out the depth of sound, which has in itself also allowed them to experiment more not only with the arrangements, but also with a more driving, rockier sound that helps provide more light and shade to emphasise the nature of the songs.

"Unseen Highway" is a song that is rich in metaphor, it doesn't describe individual journeys, rather approximate routes, routes many of us have been on in our lives, lives that are very rarely the paths we intended to take, but which when reflected back at us have been quite a trail. "Unseen Highway" is an album that's very easy to listen to and very easy to return to because it's an album that teams with life, indulge yourself.

Neil King