Leo Kottke/Mike Gordon: Clone

(Herald rating * * * *)

The guitarist who once likened his voice to the sound of flatulent geese in the wind teams up with Gordon, bassist with Phish, for some slightly screwy lyrics over Kottke's unimpeachable acoustic guitar work.

On Car Carrier Blues Kottke is worried he might be crushed by a car falling off a truck, the improbably titled From Pizza Towers to Defeat is sprightly and catchy (and impenetrably bizarre), the title track is about having a clone out there doing mischief in your name ("I can live vicariously through myself"), Clay is like a polite early Tom Waits track as interpreted by Eno, and Te Veo is a gorgeous instrumental which evokes a place of rest and tropical palms.

Elsewhere the playing is lively or languid, folksy and easy, and always dexterous. Those who remember when Kottke's name meant something will be rewarded by this.

Label: BMG