Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Ramon & Jessica, Handyman's Honeymoon

I covered a Ramon & Jessica album a few months back (see index). Here's another. Handyman's Honeymoon (Porto Franco 036) is I believe their second. I am not sure if I am getting this singer-songwriter alt duo better than I did with their last album or if this one is more lucid, but either way I am getting it.

They cover whimsically and poetically in their lyrics topics that are much more complex than the simple folkish-naive delivery would at first indicate. And that is part of their charm. As I believe I mentioned the last time there is a sort of knowing innocence projected here, a little reminiscent of Edie Brickell but only in a vague identity sense.

And that folkish naivete is also deceptive. There's good music happening. The instrumentation/arrangements are quite interesting: toy piano, banjo, guitar, ukulele, violin, piano, etc., meld together in ways that are different. Jessica sings in a disarmingly direct way. Jesse sings harmony most of the time.

The songs have an original peculiarity and memorability. The album has a marvelous home-grown charm. Listen a few times and see.

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