Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion 'Bright Examples' Ninth Street Opus

The latest album from the husband and wife partnership features a full band, two lead vocals, some delightful harmonies and bunch of new, self written songs. Production by Andy Cabic and Thom Monahan is warm and atmospheric. Both are involved with San Francisco band Vetiver and some of that town blend of soft wind psychedelica and country rock undertones can be traced here. Guests here include Neal Casal, who has cover similar territory in his own work, and Gary Louris (who co-wrote one of the songs) on backing vocals, he's joined by fellow band member Mark Olsen on the song the dreamy Seven Sisters with a lead vocal from Sarah Lee and has some pleasant pedal steel on which to float away. The duo vocals of Hurry Up And Wait feels timeless. Butterflies is as delicate as its subject matter. First Snow has California country rock harmonies and hauntidness. Their voices blend together in a most perfect way throughout the album and the music never attempts to displace them from the centre of these songs which have the ability to gain ground with each hearing and slowly reveal some subtle aspect of their construction. This duo have made several albums together and each album moves in a slightly different direction. This one should find them much favour.