Two Kentuckian lads, Daniel Martin Moore and Ben Sollee,have paired up to create Dear Companion, a benefit album for the Appalachian Voices.
They share many similarities: both clean cut, young musicians contributing to the same genre of easy listening blue grass music.
Both artists have played their strengths to create smooth and simple music. Ben Sollee plays the cello innovatively, bringing a fresh breath into the Blue Grass scene. In ‘Try’ you can hear him plucking the strings in a fashion more akin to the guitar. Daniel Martin Moore’s guitar plucking skills also feature prominently but are showcased in ‘Flyrock Blues’.
Most songs, such as Sweet Marie, only feature the cello and guitar. Their harmonizing vocals, best heard in ‘My Wealth Comes to Me’ is the culmination of their strengths playing together, strong vocal melodies with simple guitar and cello rifts.
With only one full length album underneath each of them, I hope to see more duets in the future. They work well as a team, producing a fuller sound than their solo work.
I can see lots of Starbucks soundtracks in their future…
