Album Notes

This Tract Records split is pretty typical of both artists' work, with Rivulets mastermind Nathan Amundson focusing on his stark, evocative thoughtscapes ("I was thinking of you in Painted Canyon...") and Gartman using his piano as a backdrop for warmer yet no less personal storytelling. Fans of Rivulets' Debridement will recognize "Cutter," which appears here in two new versions. "II" features ex-Swans vocalist Jarboe, while "III" is a gently echoing remix via Aarktica, aka Jon DeRosa and Aaron Spectre. "Keep You from Harm" is a gorgeous, placid acoustic ballad with comforting backing vocals from frequent Rivulets guest Jessica Bailiff, while "Wind Is Howling" goes darker, employing a subtle spaghetti Western guitar figure, the faraway trickle of water, and the rising and falling drone of a traditional instrument. You can just make out the buzzards circling on the horizon. Gartman's portion of this self-titled split release never gets that chilly. His voice is different, for one thing. Whereas Rivulets can shift the mood from comfy melancholy to murderous gloom with a simple change of inflection, Gartman's tone is more direct, with forlornness as a constant. "Hats and Wools" -- as in "box of" -- finds him musing over an old flame's mixtapes and love letters, still buried in a closet at his parents' house. "I wish I was home/Or right near a phone/I'd have my mom read me one now." "Roswell" is a swaying instrumental led by Gartman's piano and lap steel and featuring the understated drumming of Mike Pride, while a tribute to a certain mournful Canadian warns about love breaking hearts. Overall, it's a strong split release, of particular interest to Red House Painters and Palace fans. ~ Johnny Loftus, Allmusic.com

This meeting of two everyman singer/songwriters captures the individual sound of each perfectly, and reveals just as many intricacies as it does similarities between the two. First up is Nathan Amundson's Rivulets, who honestly could drunkly wail into a garbage can and set it to a drum machine and I'd still give it a listen. The songs included here have never been released elsewhere in this format, though fans of the last Rivulets record will recognize "Cutter II" as a slight restating of the track from that record with more guests. There's also a "Cutter III," a remix by Aarktica, and both succeed in re-generating the eerie feeling I had when I first heard the original, as well as improve on the piece in their own way. His other three songs are gems all their own, from the delicate beauty of "Keep You From Harm" and the sweet wished in "Happy New Year." "Wind is Howling," however, brings out what I love best about this band, with a chillingly simple guitar and violin line that succeed in making the hairs on my neck rise. Amundson is a soul at war with his dark and light sides, and the struggle continues to be produce fantastic songs. Marc Gartman, on the other hand, is a talent I am not all that familiar with, and listening to his contribution made me regret this deeply. Gartman is a soft-spoken man with a voice not all that different from Amundson, with just a bit more James Taylor, and with a talent for playing just about any instrument around. I've heard him on other records — Low, Rivulets, Pale Horse and Rider — but never playing and singing his own songs, and it is there that he truly shines. His songs here are piano-based, and Gartman has a very easygoing flow and amble on top of the music, always with his heart on his sleeve. He sings about mistakes, about regrets, about the past and the future, about love, and about Mom and her influence on his life. Even though it seems somber at first glance, there is an overriding hope and desire to get out of this mess that highlights every song. The one instrumental, "Roswell," is a gentle stride, with a very simple repeated melody that doesn't stray far, but it's my favorite track on the CD because of that. It doesn't try to be more than it is, and I think that is the perfect way to describe both men. Simplicity is best, and through it Gartman and Amundson continue to make music that always excels. - Rob Devlin, Brainwashed.com