Tangled Country

Fans of the softer, gentler end of the Americana spectrum will be drawn to Tangled Country, the fourth album by husband-and-wife duo Kagey Parrish (guitar and mandolin) and Laura Wortman (banjo, guitar, harmonica). All ten tracks are original compositions by the couple, featuring their trademark harmony singing and delicately rendered instrumental accompaniment. Producer Nicholas Sjostrom contributes bass, piano and Wurlitzer organ on several tracks, occasionally joined by Dave Hadley's pedal steel and EJ Shaull-Thompson's drums. The melodies and arrangements are firmly rooted in the traditions of the Appalachian and Piedmont regions, with a strong bent toward styles native to Parrish and Wortman's home state of Virginia. Each song exhibits beautifully honed craftsmanship, which comes with obsessive attention to detail and a love of a certain style. If gossamer harmonies and muted instrumentals are your thing, then this will be too.