Side B (Self-released, digital) Rebecca Mack and John Thompson-Figueroa, a couple and local musicians with eclectic backgrounds, have teamed up for a new project called Knit and Purl. Mack leads Amerykanka, a choral group focused on Eastern European harmonies, while Thompson-Figueroa is a trusty sideman known for his work in bands such as psychotropical jazz outfit Guagua and klezmer-folk group Inner Fire District. Their first record,
Loop Gloss, Vol. 1, is a bit of a letdown, as is
Side B, a collection of material lifted from the debut and released simultaneously. Both are so cluttered with ideas that Mack and Thompson-Figueroa seem to trip over their own feet. Hopefully they ll work out some kinks on future installments.