The plan: two alumni of Ani Difranco's band get together to record an album of quirky material, mostly instrumental. The players: Kurt Swinghammer, visual and aural artist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist; Andy Stochansky, renowned for his percussion skills but just as adept with a wide variety of other instruments. The result: overall, Remote trades more in mood than in cohesive songs, but it's always an interesting listen. Swinghammer holds the reigns for the majority of the project, and it often has an otherworldly mood that's similar to the Vostok 6 album, though less focused. Mostly, it's the sound of two musicians cutting loose, exploring sound, and having a bit of fun while doing it, and taken from that perspective, it's a resounding success.
© Sean Carruthers /TiVo