Dave McGraw & Mandy Fer
Album: Seed Of A Pine
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 11
Website: http://www.daveandmandymusic.com

My turn now to feel guilty about leaving CDs on the review pile for far too long while life gets in the way! But then again, it's such a good 'un that it would surely have caused a log-jam and stopped a whole lot more discs from ever getting reviewed!

Seed Of A Pine, it comes as a surprise to learn, marks the first official collaboration between these two established Arizona-based songwriters (Dave's released albums both solo and with the band Crow Wing, while Mandy's previously recorded under the name of Ferrarini). This latest project is very much an equal-handed affair, with the disc's sequence finding Dave and Mandy more or less strictly alternating composing credits and lead vocals and both helping each other out empathically with the keenest of musical chemistry on display. Style-wise, Seed Of A Pine is solid but subtle Americana, finely-crafted and polished but not soullessly so. The album was recorded in Chicago during summer 2011 with producer Zach Goheen at the helm and supportive musicianship from Nora Barton (cello), Jared Rabin (violin), Benny Sidelinger (dobro), Christopher Merrill (basses) and Andrew Lauher (drums); it also boasted occasional "icing on the cake" contributions from Peter Mulvey, Allison Russell and J.T. Nero. Together they produce exquisitely textured backings, often embracing the quietest of pindrop nuances where you really need to listen close (If You Will).

The album's eleven songs attain a total playing-time of 56 minutes, and therefore will take their time to make their mark, caressing your senses tenderly and unhurriedly even when the subject matter or tone is more restless. There's always a sense of the openness of the landscape, whether that be emotional or physical, in these songs. Dave's creations stalk the American West (and the mind) in search of roots and purpose (So Comes The Day, Western Sky), whereas, except perhaps on the rather oblique love song Grow, Mandy's concerns are arguably more internalised, though no less lyrical in their poetic expression, and they actually make a very good match for Dave's visionary meditations. Each of the protagonists is blessed with an interesting and distinctive singing voice: Dave's is a soft, consoling and soothing baritone, while Mandy's is a dynamically responsive soprano; the duo's complementary delicacy of enunciation and gently gorgeous harmonies (on the title track in particular, perhaps) ideally demonstrate both their purely musical affinity and their extraordinary degree of artistic empathy.

One or two of Mandy's compositions are a touch jazzier - the thrusting insistent rhythms of Forget The Diamonds contrast with the altogether more sultry (almost Billie Holiday-like) gestures of Once Was - while Golden Grey and Waking The Dreamer strongly recall the more mystical side of Gillian Welch. Another interesting and unusual trademark that the McGraw-Fer duo possesses is Mandy's deep prowess on electric guitar; she turns in a glistening solo on Comin' Down, while the gruff, grinding, rasping edge to the instrument's tone brings a harsh grandeur to Serotiny and Waking The Dreamer to counterpoint the pumping drum and bass parts. And the structures of some of the songs, while engaging in the approved country-folk mould, are also sufficiently unpredictable to keep you on your toes (never a bad thing!) - check out Forget The Diamonds and Waking The Dreamer for starters in that regard.

For yes, this album quite simply has so much going for it that I'd have placed it in my top ten releases of 2012 without hesitation. And those lucky folks living in the south of this country can look forward to the duo's very first UK dates, a very limited run towards the end of March 2013…

David Kidman