Mountaineer – Sleep And Me

Henning Wandhoff’s second album will probably be the first time most of us have come across his persuasive brand of alt-country. Based in Hamburg, this is the follow up to ìSunny Dayî which we will certainly be tracking down after this album has increasingly been making its way to the player these last few weeks. From chamber works to band sessions, there’s a homespun charm to the folk tunes, tropicalia and americana ephemera which seeps from this record – reminding us of some of the best early Lambchop moments in their evident personality. Nice echoey rooms add a cosy feel to the melodies, pedal steel always gets me, and the extra touches of mellotron, banjo, organ and soft, easy rhythm loops lend a similarity to the horizontal JJ Cale albums i hold so dear. Well worth the effort, one of the nicest surprises of the year for me, a truly magnificent album.