Kane, Welch, Kaplin

You are eased into Kane, Welch, Kaplin gently, out of respect for a chance early morning encounter, cradling your coffee, feeling like you could’ve benefited from a little more sleep. The third release by this talented trio is Americana at its finest, a roots-y concoction that weaves a slightly melancholic spell as it showcases the superb writing talents of Kieran Kane and Kevin Welch, while the stupefying talent of multi-instrumentalist Fats Kaplin whips the largely acoustic affair into something more musically intriguing (Kaplin’s "Zagnut” proves absolutely haunting with its all-too-brief merging of guitar and Theremin, the disc’s sole instrumental). "Long Lost Highway” marks the disc’s high point, a beautiful ballad that’s all the more emotionally charged for its stark simplicity, Kaplin’s fiddle work capable of rousing tears. The low-key, laidback harmonising between Kane and Welch (two singular voices with their own successful solo careers) establishes the disc’s ego-free approach to musical chemistry. Whether it’s the gospel-hued "No One Told Me,” driven by Kane’s banjo, buttressed by Kaplan’s guitar shadings, or the decidedly ominous "Dark Boogie #9,” with its spoken word urgency and aura of danger, KWK do what they do because they audibly enjoy the fruits of their cooperative labour, spurred to even greater heights in the bargain.