Retrospective

Certainly for anyone looking for an introduction to this Georgia folk duo with a long, extensive catalog, Retrospective is a valuable place to start, as it contains the highlights of some 12 years (1987-1999) of solid, unpretentious music. Offered up chronologically, one can hear the artistic evolution and the subtle shifts in production values that never overshadow the duo’s core values. Hardcore fans will always find omissions on a 16-track collection — and there are strong arguments for certain overlooked faves — but as a basic service there’s nothing here that doesn’t represent their adamant worldview and their musical values. The duo began life as a coffeehouse favorite and could’ve spent their entire career as an independent label act had it not been for the sudden interest in acoustic-based music at the end of the ‘80s. Couple that with the immediate anthem “Closer to Fine” and the band were onto success that many of their contemporaries could only dream of. “Kid Fears,” “Ghost,” “Least Complicated,” and “Leaving” all perfectly represent what the two songwriters accomplished together up until this point.