Those familiar with the music of Lee Hunter and Arvid Smith, known collectively as TAMMERLIN (formerly Tory Voodoo), will find their latest CD, "Wind Horses," a mellow continuation of the work found on older releases like "Roll Down Thy Window."
A mix of traditional Celtic, American and French folk songs, and traditional-sounding originals, "Wind Horses" is more of a sound-mural, an auditory fresco of minimalist proportions. "Song of the Seal" is the best example of this, an ethereal soundscape with Hunter's voice draped over and around the shadowy, sweeping tones. (Enya should leave behind her over-produced nonsense and try to write something like this.) Also intriguing is "Estat ai en greu cossirier." The liner notes say the lyrics are French, but Smith and Hunter place it in an Asian melodic context. It's slow and gorgeous. Impressive throughout the record, needless to say, is Smith's guitar work, the best of which can be heard on the Jimmy Page influenced "Walk of the Poor Vicar." Smith is credited with "18 strings, drones and dobro," all multi-tracked, of course, to sound like several skilled string players marking their territory. With two core melodic phrases, the progression rolls along like the ocean tide, swelling on the shore, then relaxing. Each breath pulls in a variation on the initial themes, melting slides and picking into one cohesive wash. The fadeout gives the impression that the song lasts forever, and somewhere, it probably does, waiting in the rafters until called upon to swoop down on the listener once again.
To detail the rest of the songs on "Wind Horses" would fail to do the record justice. Tammerlin fans know what to expect while the uninitiated would be better served to simply listen. Hunter and Smith are experts in their field, channeling folkloric song in new and challenging ways. One unfamiliar with folk music could learn a lot from a single Tammerlin recording.