Debut album from Dave Shuford of the No-Neck Blues Band's new project, where he combines weird Southern banjo/guitar stylings that draws from a parallel folk tradition that has a pair of working boots planted firmly in a continuum occupied by The Dillards, Michael Hurley and Koerner, Ray and Glover and another in orbit around lonesome satellites like Comus and US Saucer. Indeed, there is something of Brian Hageman in Shuford's weird ass delivery, the way he combines straight ahead mountain hollers with idiosyncratic bullfrog phrasing, though Shuford has a much tighter grip on syncopated pre-war modes while his partners play electric slide guitar as mutant as anything birthed in the volcanoes of Mu by Antenna Jimmy Semens. But a song like "Bound To Ride" is just an absolute joy, up there with Hurley circa "Portland Water" or the more off-the-cuff moments of Dylan's Basement Tapes (particularly Dylan's back-and-forth take on "All American Boy") and as if to toss you a subtle red herring, Shuford even drops in a flash of the kinda hick falsetto that will send you right back to the first time you ever heard Nashville Skyline. It feels almost occult, but I guess the title effectively gives the game away. So pick 'em as a comer, dog hummer.

Deluxe 180g vinyl in heavy Stoughton gatefold sleeves from this offshoot from the No-Neck mothership led by David Shuford and featuring Marc Orleans (Sunburned Hand Of The Man), Hans Chew (Jack Rose et al) and Rob Gregory (The Suntanama). Distillation is an even deeper countrified pass through classic Americana given the kind of psychedelic nudie suit edge of The Byrds circa Sweetheart/Notorious or the first Flying Burrito Brothers album. Shuford’s vocals have an uncommon weigh that gives the songs a Biblical/basement tapes feel while the arrangements are weirdly sophisticated in a way that rewards repeated deep listening. Edition of 891 copies, bundled with a bonus CD that features a live set from the group and an MP3 download coupon.