Although named ‘2’, this is the husband and wife duo’s third album.
The name denotes the fact that it is a companion piece to their 2018 album, Homestead Hands. The two discs were recorded just six weeks apart in New Orleans at Rick Nelson’s Marigny Studios.
Jeff Rolfzen and Rocky Steen-Rolfzen explain: “Homestead Hands was what we called a love letter to rural life and was more focused on our familial roots. ‘2’ is our love letter to city life and focuses on where we are now and our joint experiences”.
Don’t expect any raw 21st century urban blues, however. The nostalgia for the old timey showtime music of The Great American Songbook is the couple’s starting point. The jolly duets hark back to a simpler, perhaps mythical, age replete with bouncy rhythms and clear-sighted optimism.
It’s the kind of acoustic music which is perfect for busking as it seems designed to put a spring in the step of stressed-out commuters.
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Love and lightness are the touchstones as exemplified by Follies Of Love: “My heart is gleaming / When I’m with you I’m only a fool in love” and a typical sentiment is “You can raise your mood with a tune” (Shine What You Got).
The level of consumer enjoyment depends on how much of this bright-eyed , bushy-tailed cheesiness you can stomach. My own limit is a couple of songs but less cynical listeners may have a higher threshold.
The Lark & The Loon’s website
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