“2:10 Train” by Jimmy Gaudreau & Moondi Klein

Jimmy Gaudreau & Moondi Klein
2:10 Train
Rebel Records
4 stars (out of 5)

Two voices, one mandolin, one guitar, and no place to hide. That’s the challenge that Chesapeake alumni Jimmy Gaudreau and Moondi Klein have set for themselves on their debut release. They win the day with an inspired mix of songs, and a style that fuses ’30s-style brother harmonies with new acoustic music and ’70s folk-pop.

Gaudreau and Klein effectively channel James Taylor (Harvey Reid’s “Dreamer or Believer”), Tony Rice (Tom Paxton’s “The Last Thing on My Mind”), and Tim O’Brien (Pete Goble’s “Colleen Malone”). The results are always listenable but the duo is at their best when they let their own unique style come through.

They do Harley Allen’s “High Sierra” proud by underplaying the lyrical drama, keeping their harmonies simple, and making subtle use of Gaudreau’s mandolin, as delicate as fine lace.
Their approach to traditional numbers is decidedly modern, but the performances are so engaging that they escape the chilly abstractionism so common to new acoustic music. “Shady Grove” closes the album with a scintillating arrangement that zigzags between the melody’s forbidding minor key and breezy, progressive grass. “Sweet Sunny South” benefits from a straight-up folk approach, while a new acoustic vibe gives a lift to both “Black Jack Davey” and the instrumental medley of “Arkansas Traveler” and “Soldier’s Joy.” Klein excels on the latter: You’d be hard-pressed to find a more delectable bass tone.

Two swing numbers make a nice change of pace from the overall new acoustic/folk flavor. “Evening” (Mitchell Parish, Harry White) boasts enough sparkle and drive for a full orchestra, but Klein and Gaudreau get such round tone from their instruments that you’ll never miss the horn section. “Any Old Time” is less infectious, but still swings.

The album reaches one of two high points with Eric Bogle’s “And the Band Played ‘Waltzing Matilda’,” the story of the World War I battle at Gallipoli, and the tragic aftermath for one Australian veteran. Klein gives a nicely nuanced vocal performance that lets the story unfold naturally.

The album’s title cut bears a striking resemblance to “Sweet Home Alabama,” even though it predates the Skynyrd classic. The boys have a blast improvising over the familiar changes, but their digressions are always tasteful. Gaudreau pays joyful tribute to “Sweet Home’s” iconic guitar riff, and the outro is a classic rock lover’s delight, but the musical hijinks never detract from the bittersweet lyric (about visiting day at Big Ben prison). Klein gives the album’s most affecting vocal performance here, and the brush strokes of longing harmony from Gaudreau perfectly highlight the most yearning parts of the melody. This one is sure to be a huge hit in concert.
Gaudreau and Klein have crafted an instant summer soundtrack that’s as comfortable and durable as a favorite pair of jeans.

by Maria Morgan Davis