More banjo duets have arrived. Mark Olitsky and Cary Moskovitz have released Pretty Little Cats: Duets Two, available now to download via Bandcamp with CDs expected to ship by Feb. 20. As foreshadowed in November, the duo has returned with the follow-up to their much-loved 2017 album, Duets.
Some of my favorite moments on the new album are when Olitsky and Moskovitz seem to leap out of the gates matching each other note for note on the melody, and then suddenly their playing veers off and dances around one another, weaving in and out as they each take turns leading, always driving forward. The interplay between their seemingly disparate banjo styles melds together into an intoxicating, elevating blend.
The music presented on the album is a mix of common and uncommon old-time tunes, standard folk songs and even a few more modern offerings. The Bandcamp track listing shows a few of the source musicians, but the CD liner notes provide a fuller reporting on their influences.
The album opens with a beautiful rendition of "Hollow Poplar," which provides a glimpse of what's to follow. The banjos bounce off each other and force your foot to start tapping right away. A few other standouts include "Polly's Mountain Kettle," "Old Kentucky Whiskey," "Hunting the Buffalo" and "Jenny Get Around" -- these rip-roaring tunes feature some of my favorite interplay between Olitsky and Moskovitz. "Old Town Band" and "Halfway Pond" are slower numbers that conclude the album with a more contemplative mood.
Moskovitz provides vocals on a handful of songs, including "Down the Road," "Worried Man Blues," "Red Rocking Chair" and "Hard Times Come Again No More." He has a bluesy delivery that matches well with the banjos. Having heard many of these songs played live a few months ago, the recorded versions seem a bit subdued in comparison. However, that doesn't diminish the quality of their performance on the album. The version of "Dark as a Dungeon" from Merle Haggard is a nice choice.
The album was recorded by John Reynolds in November 2023 in Kent, Ohio, and mastered by Jerry Brown at Rubber Room Studio in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Pretty Little Cats is $10 for the digital download and $15 + shipping for a CD (which also includes unlimited streaming). This is an album that invites repeated listening. The tunes fly by almost too quickly, but this is delightful banjo music. I highly recommend you give it a listen.
Don't forget that today is Bandcamp Friday, which is when Bandcamp waives its revenue share and the artists get 93% of revenue if you purchase an album on the first Friday of the month. But if you can't buy today, don't worry because the artists/labels still get about 82% of the revenue from purchases. So, whether it's today, tomorrow or some other day, be sure to pick up your copy of Pretty Little Cats.
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