Doug Cox and Salil Bhatt

It's too easy to lazily affix the word "eclectic" to describe the musical affectations of Doug Cox but the shoe fits. Blending acoustic, blues and classical Indian music, the West coast native again teams up with Indian slide guitarist Salil Bhatt to deliver an aural mélange by way of dobro and slide guitar. A sequel to their 2007 outing, the vocals have always been overshadowed by Cox and Bhatt's delectable instrumentation, and here is no exception, with tracks like opener "Make a Better World." Then again, it's hard to dismiss the earnestness of the message with such precise musicianship on display via songs like "A Letter Home" and "Blessings." Slide To Freedom II is short (eight tracks) and the two collaborators come together to create a sound that's ethereal and tangible at the same time.