Bonnie & Mariee

From the first chorus of “Not Mocked,” it’s evident that Bonnie Prince Billy and fellow folkie Mariee Sioux’s voices complement one another beautifully. Recorded by Jonathan Wilson (who also handled guitar and percussion), these songs feature an impressive lineup of musicians, including Paz Lenchantin (A Perfect Circle, Zwan & The Entrance Band) on bass, Farmer Dave Scher (Beachwood Sparks, Jenny Lewis) on slide guitar and keyboards, Nate Walcott (Bright Eyes) on additional keys, and Derek James (The Entrance Band) on drums. “Bird Child” turns up the tube amps, yielding warm guitar distortion contrasted by Scher’s lazy six-string slides; it makes for a summery indie folk-rock tune. “Loveskulls” is a standout, where Billy and Sioux sing in unison and harmony as the backing band creates a psychedelic ambiance on par with Linda Perhacs’ Parallelograms. They close with a winsome cover of Maria Muldaur's “Mad Mad Me.”