What we have here are two collections of old and familiar song forms. But they are reconstituted with observant, contemporary lyrics by Kendl Winter and Palmer T Lee and performed with ever-so-slightly askew voicings, harmonies and instrumental chops. It all adds up to a distinctive and entertaining listening experience.

The Lowest Pair had originally planned on recording one album for release in the spring of 2016, but after a few months of touring, the duo generated enough additional material to fill up a second album. Hence, the simultaneous launching of a pair.

Not all ears will immediately warm to Winter's high-pitched raspy alto and Lee's edgy-bordering-on-whiny tenor voice. But since it's all done with sincere commitment, graceful intent and a wry sense of humour, fans of offbeat Americana folk styling will be duly charmed. Some terrific idiosyncratic banjo plucking occurs throughout the sessions, while three tracks stand out among the rest: ‘Lonesome Sunrise’, Lee's melancholic ode to James Taylor; ‘Mason's Trowel’, with its rollicking steam-train rush of rhythmic strings; and ‘The River Will’, which kicks off Fern Girl & Ice Man with exemplary harmony singing and instrumental dialogue.