Guitarist Julian Lage continues to impress with his growing catalogue of unpretentious and intimate small group formatted albums. This latest is another trio session, his second with bassit Jorge Roeder and drummer Dave King, and the interplay and communication is palpable on these concise displays or art.
Lage goes solo on a baroque and pretty “Etude” while showing a Monet sense of light and space on easy and relaxed team pieces such as “Boo’s Blues” and the easy rocking “Saint Rose”, both which have Lage creating clever textures with his strings. He gives a lovely intro to “Emily” before King’s brushes glide in, while the two use wonderful spacing along with Roeder’s palpable bass on the relaxed “Call of the Canyon”. There’s a folksy Nashville twang to “Day and Age” and a floating cadence on the similarly mooded “Short Form” with the three at their trickiest on the angular title tune with Lage creating clever “pings” with his strings. Colors abound on this subtle and understated gem.