Something bothers me about lo-fi. It took me a while to put a finger on it, but I did. You see, there was this time when musicians could not produce a quality recording with clear fidelity because they were priced out of it; the equipment, the mixers, the engineers. Producing a fine recording was a badge of honor for some, while others just wanted something more than a basement recording to accurately capture their live sound. Nowadays, lo-fi feels artificial to its high quality, now comparatively cheap recording bretheran (alas of Garageband). Now, how do you capture that core essence of a live performance in a recording? Do as The Builders and The Butchers have done on their upcoming album, Dead Reckoning.

Captured with calculated care in practically solely live takes, with singer Ryan Sollee isolated to keep clear vocals, the Portland folk rockers aligned their cannons, roped up their ship of aspirations and take their live show sound under seige this recording time. Adam Selzer (who helped The Decemberists) helped wittle their songs with a precision you heard more on Castaways and Cutouts than The Hazards of Love. Take a listen to "Lullaby," then mount the crow's nest in hopes to see The Builders and the Butchers on the horizon of Lake Michigan soon.

 The Builders & the Butchers - Lullaby