LEWIS & CLARKE
"Bare Bones and Branches" C69
(Summersteps Records)




I’m fairly certain I saw Lou Rogai perform in a barn about 20 years ago. A dirtbag of a friend who will remain faceless liked to fancy himself a promoter, but, at 17, his capacity for responsibilities and sensibilities when coordinating “Fests” was…well…at least he tried? Anyway, Lou Rogai, if I remember correctly, found himself in Jerkwater, Ohio, with about 30 snotty punk teenagers (myself inclusive) trying our best to “support the artist” and not break our cheekbones with professionally practiced sneers while he played some weird guitar that didn’t even have distortion or an amp for that matter…So, yeah. This performer has been having a serious go at it for quite some time, and this specific release is the 10th year anniversary of his “Lewis & Clarke” project.

Not much to disagree with here. Proficiently calculated emo-folk with a host of Nashville flourishes to keep it moving along. Definitely a catch for those that dug the mid-tempo Whiskeytown/early Wilco or Kind of Like Spitting alt-country vibes.

https://lewisandclarkemusic.bandcamp.com/album/bare-bones-and-branches-10th-anniversary-deluxe-edition-2015
and/or
https://summerstepsrecords.bandcamp.com/

-- Jacob An Kittenplan