Largely a long-distance collaboration between Marty Willson-Piper (long-time guitarist for the Church) and Tony Rumble (a veteran of the Sydney wedding band scene--that's not a joke), this set takes off with a bang and never returns to earth.

Arktik Lake Shimmer EP (self-released)

So, if you want to work with a famous musician you've admired for years, the first step is to make contact. Willson-Piper's website mentioned that he did occasional session work, and Rumble sent him some demos. I'm sure the story is more complicated than that, but in any case this EP exists as proof of the general concept. Rumble put together the backing tracks, and Willson-Piper added vocals and guitar.

These intercontinental collaborations aren't unknown (Almost Charlie is a wonderful--and long-running--example), but it can be hard to make a solid connection, especially when the artists in question have never met in person. Modern technology makes up for that, of course, but these songs sound like they come from a veteran band in full flower. There is a comfort and ease that can't be faked.

I dunno. Sometimes it works, right? I have a feeling there's a bit more to it than that. Willson-Piper's willingness to listen to unsolicited demos from some guy in Australia says a lot about his approach to life. Sometimes there's magic in your inbox. First, though, you have to be willing to listen. Above all else, the exceptional results on this EP are a testament to human curiosity. "Why not?" isn't an approach that works for all facets of life, but within a creative context it can make all the difference. Sheer bliss.

Jon Worley