Uke Of Space Corners - So Far On The Way CD

To say that Uke of Spaces Corners County can be a bit cryptic is an understatement, but at the same time this is not a group that's willfully obscure -- if a blend of hollow beatboxes, lo-fi recording, and a feeling that a time warp has opened up from the rural early '30s sounds a bit strange on the face of it, that's just because it takes a listen or two to hear how nicely that combination can work in the right hands. Dan Beckman, the main guy behind it all, has done a variety of earlier work elsewhere -- the liner notes refer to compilations and earlier cassettes -- and there's something about his style that suggests a spiritual kinship (if not a sonic one) to similar Deep South followers of their muses like aviator Charlie McAllister. Working with a shifting group of performers, Beckman's songs touch on intriguing scenarios that could almost be their own short stories or films, singing in a high, slightly lost and cracking voice that doesn't sound forced or theatrical, instead being just right. Standout songs include "Flotilla," a wondrous mix of guitar, toy piano, and voices that contains the great line "21 punks/5 dogs/and five homemade boats," and "Bird on a Wire (Tucson Song)," an alternate version of a previously released song that features Beckman and Amy Moon on a heartily sung duet that's sprightly and slightly melancholy at once.