Artist:     The Lark and the Loon

Album:     Homestead Hands

Label:     Self-Released

Release Date:     9.4.2018

80

BUY DIGITAL

BUY PHYSICAL

This folk duo of Jeff and Rocky Rolfzeen, whose all original songs sound like they could of been written 70 to 100 years ago, use a nice array of guitars, both acoustic and resophonic, banjos, accordion, washboard and a shotgun shell stomp box for a bass drum, to put them across with the right feel, melodies and licks minus the scratches in the records they evoke. Their style is reminiscent of some traditional duos who came before them like Nancy and Norman Blake, Malcom Daglish and Grey Larson, Geoff and Maria Muldaur, etc.

Montana-born Rocky Steen Rolfzeen has a sweet voice that harmonizes well with Jeff and does not grate when taking the lead vocal as some traditional female singers do. She’s also a darn good yodeler to boot. Her accordion work is spot on for what the tune calls for. As is for whomever is playing the clawhammer banjo. Her Minnesotan, city-born husband, who also spent time in Chicago, seems to be really at home playing country blues on a National Steel. Living for the last few years in an isolated area of the Ozark mountains has no doubt contributed to the authenticity they bring to their original songs that mainly embrace themes from a world that has been passed by, with a few like “One More” and “Drink From The Bottle” that might easily please a frat party crowd.

Although their lyrics embrace a time past, they are certainly tech savvy and have a greeting card style animation on YouTube that demonstrates their tune “The Old Red Rooster,” a letter song between a man who has gone off prospecting, the missus back on the farm, and the longing to be back together again. They also have stepped up their recording situation after the strong reception to their log cabin-recorded CD Songbirds and Fog that has allowed them to tour much of the US and Ireland. On this go round they opted for a professional recording environment. I found that move to be slightly ironic, because though they no doubt benefited on capturing more tone and detail from the instruments they play so well, on certain intriguing story songs they present like “Code Of The West,” “Deal With The Devil” and “Regards To Mr. Hicock,” some key lyrics are acoustically blurred, regardless of what I used to listen to them with, headphones, studio monitors, etc. That said, the one tune I can’t get of my head is “Bitterroot Creek,” an instrumental.

—Ken Spooner