Lyric duo creates soothing melodies

By Nate Seltenrich

The first time I heard the music, I thought Garbage. The first time I heard her voice, I thought Nelly Furtado.

Then I thought - heck, this is better than either of them.

It doesn't take long for Two Loons for Tea, comprised of singer Sarah Scott and songwriter and guitarist Jonathan Kochmer, to make a good impression. Scott's soulful-yet-soft voice over a subtle-yet-strong musical backdrop immediately alerts the listener that this is something special.

The two loons certainly aren't foolish when it comes to musical finesse. Kochmer's unobtrusive and delicate songwriting works flawlessly with Scott's uncommonly understated yet brilliant voice. Together, they strike an almost perfect balance between vocal and musical instruments that is either very innovative or very basic.

Either way, it stands out starkly against today's pop music background, in which talented vocalists often flaunt their voices over mediocre and repetitive music.

"Looking for Landmarks" features no shortage of musical instruments to carry and compliment Scott's vocals. In fact, there are 19 additional musicians who play everything from percussion to accordion to piano at different points on the album.

My only complaint is that the music is too gentle too often. Only a few tracks, such as "Shape of Strange," and "Dying for Love," are upbeat from start to finish, and even less are danceable. During many of the rest, I'm torn between a feeling of excitement for the song's beauty and a desire to allow it to lull me to sleep.

Although always remaining intricate and interesting, the music occasionally falls in and out of brief states of relative inactivity. This technique fits well with Scott's laid-back lyrics but often results in lag time between choruses.

All things considered, Two Loons for Tea's musical vision and aptitude remains remarkably evident throughout the album. Any fault is but a minor blemish on a genuine work of art. B+