Midwest Soul Xchange is a duo that have been friends for decades, but only recently have they started playing together. Although it’s only the work of two people— Ryan Summers and Nate Cherrier —there is more of lush CSN&Y or Big Star harmonies than of the Everly Brothers in their sound. Songs like “Set A Course For Common Worlds,” from their debut album New American Century released late last year, sound especially like they were lost scraps from #1 Record.
It’s folk music, but folk music of the most captivating sort, because they don’t ignore pop icons. There’s even a little bit of prog music a la Pink Floyd and Queen on songs like “Revolt Of The Guards” that are remarkably and fantastically atypical of the genre that so often becomes straitjacketed by its own restrictions. They explore nooks and crannies of any style that interests them, whether it be a hint of Celtic folk on “Occupy The Piper” or touches of R.E.M. on “She Flies.” New American Century is a fantastic debut record from a duo whose chemistry has obviously been long cemented.
