It's an interesting combination.
Separately, Chris Thile and Brad Mehldau both traffic in distinct breeds of Americana (while also blurring the edges of it) — from Thile's alt-country and bluegrass to Mehldau's eclectic work as a jazz pianist. But together, their work is less geographically rooted. Tangled, strange and exploratory, the songs jazzily dart around, coalescing in and out almost at random. Opener The Old Shade Tree sounds like an acoustic version of contemporary Radiohead, but then the pair shift effortlessly into the kinetic instrumental duelling of Tallahassee Junction. Overall, it's a relentless, rootsy record that still feels somewhat alien. Investigate.
