GROOVE ART FEATURE

But where on The Aftermath this pedal was put to the task of adding a sort of parallel dark dimension to the tunes - like a heavy storm cloud rolling towards you on an otherwise beautiful morning - on Mount Tom it serves more as a cheeky thickener, giving depth to tracks that are otherwise pretty standard fare, and adding some contrast on a record where the performance feels very much live and in-the-room with you.

Mount Tom is a series of tidy vignettes, stories delivered unassumingly by Carroll over arrangements that are both carefully considered and also compellingly raw. We get it all, the string noise and the squeaks included, warm and insistent and never over-polished or washed down into the mix. It's a truly beautiful set of performances.

"Cinnamon" is a spirited jig to start the record off, a classic sounding front porch singalong, but also an early exposition of Carroll's chops as his mandolin frolics across the driving, percussive guitar track. "Stones" turns things more contemplative, and offers a series of observations about the interplay between the natural world and the world we construct, block by block, stone by stone.

"Faded Memories" is a particularly effective effort in the early stretch of the album. The restrained production and the delicate playing does a great job expressing the fragility and temporary nature of the experiences and recollections that make up our life, mirroring both the text and the vocal delivery.

This is the first part of the album where I really started to be struck by how confident the decision-making here feels. It's not the first rodeo for Carroll, and I suspect Daring Coyotes has begun settling into a comfortable groove with these mixes - it certainly seems that way.

On the next two tracks we get a noticeable dose of the aforementioned pitchfork pedal. On "Cold Cold Mountain" the effect summons something that will have you thinking of Sergeant Pepper. On "Happy Meals" it's a bit more subtle, which is just as well, because this tune is probably one of the most delightful lyrics on the record and merits focused listening.

"All We Can Do" jumps back into the traditional front-porch-picking with both feet, an upbeat jangly number that serves as a palate cleanser before the home stretch of this record.

"Same Old Bricks" summons up a bit of the ominous vibes of The Aftermath, with its gritty melody, generous application of the droning mandola/pitchfork combo, and the recurring sneer of the theme.

The record wraps up with a suite of slow(er), pensive tracks that allow Carroll to stretch out on top of Seiler's steady bass groove with his collection of strings and stories. Taken as a whole, Tales From Mount Tom is a pretty big step forward in the Daring Coyotes catalog, a beautifully performed and produced, entirely cohesive, full-length collection that finds the project expressing confidence on all fronts.