‘SpiderBeetleBee’ radiates forth with equal parts austerity and whimsy, opening with an almost-baroque dance before giving way to a Celtic theme, both featuring MacKay and Walker’s acoustics in rambling conversation, picking through intricate passages as though they were exchanges, thoughts and afterthoughts. ‘SpiderBeetleBee’ continues fluidly down the path of their initial psych-folk-blues-raga tandem, brewing further explorations in mixed-and-matched idioms, turning composed melodies inside-out via improvisation and finding in the blend a shared Walker / MacKay pasture, serendipitously found somewhere between Appalachia and the Highlands. Their first album was developed over a month-long live residency at Chicago bar The Whistler and reflected MacKay and Walker’s shared joy in a new relationship with a kindred spirit, in playing that might wordlessly finish a phrase or suggest a direction, as they spoke through their guitars. It’s been nearly two years since their much-admired 2015 debut, ‘Land Of Plenty’ (Whistler Records) and ‘SpiderBeetleBee’ more than makes up for lost time, with rich, resonant performances that elevate the sound of the guitar duo as they work with an ever-widening panorama of styles. Drag City presents the second volume of Bill MacKay and Ryley Walker’s inspired collaboration.
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