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03/23/10 Casselman’s Denver, CO
Free Download03/26/10 McCabe’s Santa Monica, CA 03/27/10 Swedish American Hall SF, CA 03/29/10 Doug Fir Lounge Portland, OR 03/30/10 The Crocodile Seattle, WA 04/02/10 Cedar Minneapolis, MN 04/03/10 Majestic Theater Madison, WI "Something, Somewhere, Sometime" available as a free download via Subpop Sampler Discography
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You may remember Ben Sollee as the small, charming male with a cello. The last time Sollee made a blip on WeHeartMusic’s radar was in 2008 when we reviewed his show at the 400 Bar in Minneapolis. Since then, Sollee’s kept busy touring, single-handedly saving Earth, and recently, collaborating with fellow Kentuckians Daniel Martin Moore and Yim Yames (My Morning Jacket)*.
The result of this rather fabulous meeting of the minds is Dear Companion, a 36-minute trek through idyllic America, apple pie and all. The album blends Sollee’s classical training with elements of folk, country, and rustic blues. Moore, who’s drawn comparisons to Nick Drake, brings a gentle, stripped-down cadence that nicely underscores the album’s tone. Both artists explore terrain outside their usual repertoire but mostly stick to their roots. Companion is not a departure, nor is it a vanity project; the idea was born from a mutual interest in social and environmental justice. As vocal critics of mountaintop removal (MTR), a destructive form of coal mining in Central Appalachia, Moore and Sollee approached Companion with a very specific intent: to raise awareness through song.
Don’t worry, you won’t find any tracks titled “Save the Trees” or “Stop Raping My Planet”; the duo favors poignancy and encouragement over soap box sermons. In fact, Moore and Sollee are so unobtrusive in their delivery (in perfect harmony to boot) that without proper context most of their songs could easily exist as songs, rather than little messages of advocacy. Album opener “Something, Somewhere, Sometime” is particularly spirited, showcasing the aforementioned flawless harmonization.
As charitable efforts go, on a scale from one to “We Are the World,” Dear Companion may pass just under the radar, but is definitely worth a listen. The album was produced by Yames and can be purchased via the Sub Pop website or at most local record stores. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Appalachian Voices, an organization that serves to empower those affected by mountaintop removal (www.ilovemountains.org). For more information, visit www.dearcompanion.com. Daniel Martin Moore and Ben Sollee are currently on tour in support of Dear Companion. I will be covering the Minnesota date: April 2 at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis (www.thecedar.org).
* Is ‘Yim Yames’ Jim James’s alter ego? Does it wear black turtlenecks and sport a soul patch?
03/20/2010 04:23:50 ♥ lara (
/lara206.vox.com) ♥ bensollee.com ♥ myspace.com ♥ twitter.com
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