200 Years
' self-titled debut is a bare-boned folk-pop album that avoids frills and instead relies on subtlety. The duo is left completely vulnerable in this tranquil set of songs, which sound as if they were performed on a back porch at twilight, instead of in a studio. The tempo plods along at a snail's pace, and the mood remains delicate throughout as
Ben Chasny
(
Six Organs of Admittance
) strums his acoustic guitar and
Elisa Ambrogio
(of
Magik Markers
) barely projects her pretty, waifish voice. Occasionally some ambience creeps in (an electric guitar drone, an accordion hum, a pipe organ, some cymbal splashes, or background vocals) from the deep distance, but otherwise, a less-is-more approach keeps the acoustic guitar and vocal lullabies sounding intimate.
is as subtle as they come and makes for excellent background music, especially if you're feeling fragile. ~ Jason Lymangrover