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Vetiver, "Between"
The new EP from Andy Cabic’s group Vetiver is a subdued affair.Cabic and Vetiver are best known for their Devendra Banhart connection(Banhart performed on Vetiver’s self titled album and Cabic is now partof Banhart’s band, Hairy Fairy).
Betweenis a five track collection of home recordings, live cuts and a radioperformance. The beauty of Vetiver gets to shine more on this CD thenon the album which I found good but a little bogged down by gueststars. Every track seems to belong together on this EP, which I thinkis thanks to the more stable line up. The small bit of overlap between Between and Vetiveris a live radio version of “Belles.” Compared to the studio versionthere is superficially not much of a difference, the studio one is abit more polished whereas this radio version is far more intimate.Cabic sounds like a more serious and grown up songwriter compared tohis compadre Banhart, more dignified country singer than flower childwailer. “Been So Long” is one of the finest Vetiver songs I’ve heard,the drums are almost tabla-like and background harmony vocals runthrough the song like a thread of silk. Normally the sound of flutesleaves me cold but the flute at the end of “Been So Long” fits like aglove. “Maureen” is a slightly tinny sounding live recording, justaround bootleg quality but all the more delicate for it. “Save Me APlace” stays faithful to theoriginal Fleetwood Mac song, but it is paced just a little slower. When I played the albumfirst I didn’t even notice it was a cover, assuming it was familiarbecause it was from the Vetiver album. It was only later I saw it was acover, it fits in so well with Cabic’s style of writing. “Busted(Brokedown Version)” is where the country vibe reaches its peak, therough recording makes it sound like a forgotten Neil Young number fromhis Harvest-era. I can find no faults with this CD apart fromits length, as I would have liked more than fifteen minutes worth of music,but as various teachers over the years have drummed into me, it isquality not quantity.
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