Kevin Morby SINGING SAW

On his first two albums, Kevin Morby made a name for himself as a singer/songwriter with a finely burnished voice, sensitively wrought lyrics, and a good ear for arrangements. On his third album, and first for Dead Oceans, Morby worked with producer Sam Cohen (of Yellowbirds) to expand his sound a little, while still staying true to the honest approach he'd almost perfected already. The duo surround Morby's trenchant songs with a rich tapestry of sound, adding keyboards, electronic squiggles, mariachi horns, backing vocals, and even singing saws to the mix. They actually met while playing in a Band tribute band and the influence certainly comes through in the various forms of Americana they cycle through on the album. The full-to-the-breaking-point arrangements of some of the songs, like "I Have Been to the Mountain" and "Dorothy" (both of which feature some first-rate fuzz bass work by Cohen), definitely capture the rollicking, jolly feel of the Band they exuded at their best. The kee