900 Miles

AMG Review of 900 Miles

Jonathan Widran
All Music Guide

The first thing that comes to mind when listening to this fascinating folk duo -- vocalist Bethany Yarrow, daughter of folk legend Peter Yarrow, and veteran five-string cellist Rufus Cappadocia -- is a slightly darker and more gritty Tuck & Patti, mostly due to the sparse production and Yarrow's compelling, low husky tones. But while Tuck & Patti are, at the end of the day, true romantics, Bethany & Rufus edge deeper in the darker spaces between groove, jazz and a gritty approach to raditional folk. With Yarrow's voice shadowing Cappadocia's plucky melodic/rhythmic approach to the bass, the two blend influences from dusty American field recordings to modern jazz (the cheeky "Isn't That So"), from light folk-pop (the snappy title track, "East Virginia") to the griot traditions of Africa ("If I Had My Way (Samson & Delilah)"). Hypnotic pieces like "The Swallow" and "Asturiana" allow Cappadocia to venture into chamber music territory as he creates haunting, sustained notes under his partner's ethereal lead. While these songs may take a few listens to fully resonate, there's no denying that in a world where a lot of fluffy pop passes as folk, Bethany & Rufus, in taking a more original road, have come up with the real deal.