Joseph Allred - Traveler LP

"Welcome to the second album we've done with string maestro, Joseph Allred. Unlike O Meadowlark (FTR 451LP), this one features a smattering of Joseph's vocals, although his main thrust is still glistening instrumentals. The title song is a goddamn sad one, sung with reedy elegance, dealing with a kidnapped dog that serves as a stand-in for all earthly beings, full of both frailty and resilience. Another vocal track, 'The Crown' (which inspired the cover art), stems from a long conversation Joseph had with Max Ochs. It squeezes the inherently surreal aspects of dream-walking into semi-conventional blues tautology, and the fit is just right. The third and last vocal, 'O Columbia,' is a particular favorite, based as it is upon the some of the same melodies Fahey swiped for 'In Christ There Is No East or West,' although Allred takes things in all new directions. I had been a tad leery when I heard Joseph would be singing on this new session -- being so enamored of his unadorned instrumenta