music Home > Record Reviews

Lower Dens is the new moniker for folk songwriter Jana Hunter's band, which has actually been around much longer, only playing under Hunter's name. Likewise, "Blue and Silver" isn't exactly new either, having first appeared last summer on a tour CD, and slated to appear on a forthcoming LP. But it seems like Hunter, with bassist Geoff Graham and drummer Abe Sanders, is making an effort at reintroducing the group to the world. Hunter, the solo songwriter, has done excellent work exacting a certain mood, a meditative, richly textured slow-folk as pretty and calm as the woods at dawn. "Blue and Silver," riding along on the back of quick rimshots or some kind of woodblock, ups the atmosphere in great washes of guitar/lo-fi scuzz and cranks out a pretty mean rock climax, but that same sort of placid melody still runs underneath. So as much as it rocks, it soothes. One complaint: Hunter has an amazing and unique voice, but it's kinda buried here. Otherwise, there's much to look forward to with Lower Dens.

E-mail Michael Byrne