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Title: Different
Review: The Amor Belhom Duo are likely the only musicians to relocate from France to Tuscon, Arizona. Not that there's anything wrong with that. In Tuscon, they've hooked up with Joey Burns and John Convertino (the braintrust of the amazing Calexico), both of whom guest on Wavelab Performance. There is much about this album that reminds of the desert southwest sound perfected by Calexico, and yet there sneaks in a hint of Euro-ness that makes their sound unique. The guitars can offer fuzztones and feedback while the drums pound frenetically, and yet there isn't the sense that the music is directionless. The vocals are spare and the lyrics won't likely win any poetry contests, but in this context, they work. This may not be the kind of music that stays in the cd player for weeks on end, but it is a refreshing change of pace.And if nothing else, it hints at what may come from the forthcoming formal Calexico/Amor Belhom Duo collaboration entitled "Tete A Tete". That should be one interesting release.
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