Exclaim! Magazine

Jesse Zubot and Steve Dawson have become fixtures on the folk festival circuit through their modern take on acoustic music and blazing instrumentation. But do they have any songs? With this record, the pair seem to be moving beyond simply impressing other musicians, as each track has a distinct mood, ranging from the obvious joyousness of "Hoedown" to the cool airiness of "Boomer's Hill Road" and leading perfectly into a version of Robert Johnson's "Hellhounds on my Trail". What is most impressive is their diversity. They seem to effortlessly be able to tackle any style and make it interesting. This is obviously the way "folk" music has been able to stay vital. But while many other artists' experiments result in a convoluted mess, Zubot and Dawson's grasp of their abilities allows a lot of soul to come across. It's still instrumental music, but it can stand along side the best work of Bill Frisell or David Grisman.

- Jason Schneider