Those of you who still celebrating 420 might recall that I reviewed the Curse of Lono EP last fall. Felix Bechtolsheimer has moved on from Hey Negrita, and this is the official first CoL album.

Curse of Lono Severed (Submarine Cat)

The EP was a stunner, four tracks of americana as reimagined by those on the other side of the Atlantic. It sounds familiar, and yet not. I like that vague sense of "I don't think I've heard these sounds put together quite this way before" that I get with British (or European) forays into American roots. Of course, a lot of those "roots" originated over there, so I'm pretty much chasing my tail.

Three of the four songs from the EP are on this set, so if this album sets you on fire as much as it does me, well, you pretty much have the whole of CoL right here. And boy, this should get the blood flowing. A laconic ramble through wide-open spaces, powered by instruments acoustic and electric alike. The loose feel is energizing, but the songwriting craft and arranging are brilliant. These songs work, in every sense of the word.

If you do have that EP, and you wondered if a full-length could sustain the same sense of wonder, fear not. A full dose is even more overwhelming than that short set. Curse of Lono appears to be built for the long haul. This album might well be the dawn of something spectacular. It's pretty damn awesome as it is.

Jon Worley