Reuniting under the auspices of proven musical chemistry and a shared sense of whimsy, acoustic guitar hero
Leo Kottke
and
Phish
bassist
Mike Gordon
offer up
Noon
, their third outing as a duo. While
Gordon
has remained active as ever with
business and a pleasing assortment of solo and side projects,
Kottke
all but disappeared after 2005's
Sixty Six Steps
, the pair's previous collaboration, and didn't issue any music for 15 years. Like their two previous albums, 2020's
is laced with complex musical figures, offbeat lyrics, and a spring-like funkiness, though it also takes more ruminative turns, thanks in part to the existential gravity of some of
's songwriting contributions. The playing, of course, is spectacular throughout, as befitting these two instrumental giants;
's distinctive picking patterns sound as bold as ever and
weaves them together with his own jaunty dexterity. Vocals are present on all but two of the 11 cuts, which are dotted with a pair of oddball covers:
's dark-hued reading of
the Byrds
' "Eight Miles High" is a highlight, though
's breezy folk-funk take on
Prince
's "Alphabet Street" never quite gets off the ground. The instrumental tracks, "Flat Top" and "Ants," are wonderfully virtuosic performances imbued with warmth and drama in equal measure.
's dexterous meditation, "Noon to Noon," wears its melancholy like brittle armor while
keeps things lighter, as on eccentric groovers "I Am Random" and "How Many People Are You." For the most part, the set is casual and intimate with few overdubs and the addition of drummer
Jon Fishman
(also of
) on just a handful of tracks. Not all of the writing is stellar, but
's deficits are generally outweighed by the duo's sense of camaraderie and musicianship, making for a strong third outing and a welcome return for
, in particular. ~ Timothy Monger