POTLUCK AT MY PLACE! (DON'T BRAISE THE MANDOLIN!)

Village of Spaces

Alchemy and Trust CD/LP

Corleone 2011

Whatsa friendly fool like this doin climbin my staircase? Get behind me, pretty! Honest to you, I can't recollect the last time such an autumnal tumble of leafy itch and scratch came over for some mead with the likes of me. These days, my heart pumps about as warm n sweet as a crushed crab apple, specially when it come to the work of sweatered and Sauconied faux-crackers like these folks.

Though, don't misapprehend: I done-sensed the creek-drunk waiver of Caethua not 5 steps in and I was right and all was better for it. Village of Spaces is, I take it, the Uke of Spaces Corners wearin another walk-in, and she's part. I spose Frederick Wiseman was right about Belfast, ME: ain't nothin to do but count the seagulls and freeze to death, so it makes sense they'd team up. Though, I don't know who's mum ponied for the trek to vibe with Hurley on that other coast. Road trip, brah! Much as I dig this (after-dinner-outside-hemp-bracelet-sweat-ring that it is), I worry the lost, trespassin Bozo Texino quality of, say, 06's So Far on the Way might near blink out by same time next year. You can still catch the quease and moan treatment on "Buoy Gong" and in the slightly listing harmonies throughout, but that's the rub, darlin: slightly.

Oh well, I'm just pickin nits to keep my finger out my nose. These are dire days for all of us. This is damn good! Maybe somebody'll get a new Volvo station wagon outta this goat rodeo. Well, a new old one.

ARCHIVAL SMUDGES: The Lost Fuck You Counselor Years

Dwarr - Starting Over, private press 1984
(Figgered I'd toss this one into yer lap, seein as Dwarr's follow-up just got reished by Yoga/Drag City sometime ago. Twas of the times at the time. But, you know, wine ain't gettin any colder. -Ed.)


Yikes! This is a goddamn goose chase. For some reason, this lp gets dunce-capped with the abysmal underground doom metal of the 80s, when this is really just super-moody borderline chamber-prog-folk. Yeah, Duane sings like Ozzy on a narco bender and there's the occasional Birmingham d-drop, but this has way more in common (albeit probably by stumbles) with Stan Hubbs covering Van der Graaf Generator. Do as you wish, fellow busriders, but every passenger knows when to ring the bell, ya ask me.