200 Years

200 Years' self-titled debut is a bare-boned folk-pop album that avoids frills and instead relies on subtlety. The duo is left completely vulnerable in this tranquil set of songs, which sound as if they were performed on a back porch at twilight, instead of in a studio. The tempo plods along at a snail's pace, and the mood remains delicate throughout as Ben Chasny (Six Organs of Admittance) strums his acoustic guitar and Elisa Ambrogio (of Magik Markers) barely projects her pretty, waifish voice. Occasionally some ambience creeps in (an electric guitar drone, an accordion hum, a pipe organ, some cymbal splashes, or background vocals) from the deep distance, but otherwise, a less-is-more approach keeps the acoustic guitar and vocal lullabies sounding intimate. 200 Years is as subtle as they come and makes for excellent background music, especially if you're feeling fragile. ~ Jason Lymangrover