Sunday, October 23, 2005

Review: Leo Kottke and Mike Gordon, "Sixty Six Steps"

By Jeff Puma / The Hartford Courant

Comment on this story Send this story to a friend Get Home Delivery

When musicians pursue side projects, comparisons to previous efforts are inevitable. When those musicians are guitar virtuoso Leo Kottke and former Phish bassist Mike Gordon, the stakes are even higher. The cult status of both collaborators puts their 2002 release "Clone" and their latest, "Sixty Six Steps," under more intense scrutiny.

That's the rub, because Kottke and Gordon have come together to explore new territory and take their music in fresh directions. We're lucky to be along for the ride when they take Aerosmith's "Sweet Emotion" for a laid-back spin. The lengthy, relaxed intro allows listeners to get lost and forget what song is playing until the lyrics kick in. On their own back-catalog songs -- "Rings" for Kottke and "Ya Mar" for Gordon -- the musicians take a similar understated approach, creating a flow that evokes the waves cascading onto a beach in the Bahamas, where this album was recorded.

The subtlety of the album helps accentuate the complexity of Kottke's playing. Drummer and percussionist Neil Symonette adds an upbeat groove to songs such as "Balloon" and "Over the Dam" and an island flavor to "The Grid" and "Can't Hang." Mix in quirky lyrics about the electrical grid, lovers leaving and balloons, and "Sixty Six Steps" is an off-beat, agreeable album from a unique partnership.