Damon & Naomi - Song To The Siren - CD/DVD

1 Cd / Dvd

Song to the Siren follows 2000's Damon and Naomi with Ghost, a latter-day psych-folk landmark that found the veteran indie-rock duo collaborating with the Japanese band Ghost. This collection doesn’t display the sonic variety and detailing of the studio album, but the relatively spare disc has its own charms. A cover of Tim Buckley's "Song to the Siren" is one of the album's highlights. The couple's vocals, Yang's melodic bass, and Kurihara's delicate fingerings give full expression to the song's mystery and romance. Kurihara's playing is fine throughout, whether he's producing watery arpeggios, cello-like tones, or searing solos. Live discs often drain the atmosphere right out of a band's music, but that isn’t the case here. This quiet album is brimming with mood and nuance. --Fred Cisterna