Missoula’s singer/songwriter duo Richie Reinholdt and Britt Arnesen, aka Britchy, have released their fourth album of original tunes together. The two sport solo albums too, and several songs on the CD were previously recorded on them. Reinholdt is a long-time staple of the Missoula music scene, and plays in Lochwood Bluegrass Band as well as in The Acousticals. Arnesen, who moved here from her native Alaska a few years back, is also in The Acousticals, and Pinegrass as well.
After her arrival in Missoula, the two soon hooked up to play, write and perform. Reinholdt is a multi-instrumentalist who plays guitars, banjo, mandolin and bass on the CD. He also engineered the album. Arnesen contributes acoustic guitar, upright bass and piano. Special guests include Victor’s Jack Mauer on Dobro and master fiddler Isaac Callender, who lives in Great Falls.
The title tune, “Call Me,” is Arnesen’s broken-hearted ballad from her album Middle of the Rainbow. It’s a soft, country-folk number with a pretty chorus.
“Home Now,” from Reinholdt’s Night and Day, is his look back at a bucolic, yet mercurial, way of life. Pancakes, coffee and snoozing dogs give way to subways and college life. His tasty mandolin links the ideas together. Arnesen sings harmony on this and other songs; the duo’s voices mesh in inflection and tone for good synchronization.
Mauer’s wiggly Dobro provides a melodic interlude on Arnesen’s “Tight Rope,” and her “Eagle Cove” features the welcome addition of silky fiddle from Callender.
“Three A.M,” Reinholdt’s dark, somber loper, has a great chord progression and an exotic feel. His adept guitar notes almost whisper a Spanish style. There’s even a slight Beatle-esque nuance. Good atmosphere here. “Sleep won’t last through the night …” go the lyrics, “… letting go and holding on are having a fight.” I like this un!
Visit the duo at britchymusic.com.
– Mariss McTucker