Asa Irons and Swaan Miller — Asa Irons and Swaan Miller
The album consists of acoustic guitar backed songs with clear vocals by Miller and Irons. Based on today's underground of new weirdness, one might expect folk-based music. There are indeed elements of folk, but there are also blues and country influences present. The songs are infused with an old-time, pre-war feel much of the time.
The vocals have a more modern sound, since they are sung in a hushed tone, which is fairly standard practice in this day and age. Miller and Irons sing tunes both solo and in unison. Since they really don't harmonize, the songs have a kind of one-dimensional quality at times.
It took me a few spins of this disc to realize that buried beneath the hushed tones, understated arrangements, and monochromatic vocals there's some good tunes here. Iron's guitar work, sometimes strummed, other times finger-picked, is very good and suits the uncomplicated songs. This is most assuredly a "winter" album. It's meant to be listened to in quiet, and away from the world, just as it was recorded. For that reason, it's not an album that you can pick up anytime.
It's also a very straight and plain album, which at first makes it seem, well, a bit too plain. But on successive listens though, that becomes its strong point. There's no artifice, nothing between the artist and listener, and the lack of posturing is refreshing.
The lyrics, which frequently use the natural setting as a backdrop, are of a personal nature. The introspective lyrics, though arch at times in their construction, come across as the product of many lost hours spent in isolation, deep in thought. If you are patient enough to give this album a chance, you may very well find that it's a rewarding experience.