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Perfectly balanced
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This review first appeared in the March 1, 2007 issue of the North County Times.
San Diego folk duo Podunk Nowhere have built up a local following with their frequent shows around the county, and have now released their debut CD, a full-length set of 10 original songs, produced by The Grams' Chuck Schiele.
Rarely has there been a duo so perfectly balanced: With their spare arrangements (and Schiele's clean recording mix), the resultant sound is a clearly delineated balance between the distinctive acoustic guitar playing of Johnny Janiga and the rich vocals of Heather Marie. In the way these two very unique sounds complement each other, a comparison could be made with pop-jazz duo Tuck & Patti – although stylstically, Podunk Nowhere is far more folk and country-oriented.
Even in the absence of the sort of memorable melody that gets stuck in your head, this album is a wonderful listen throughout. Podunk Nowhere has such a wonderful sound you could easily, as a critic once wrote of Billie Holiday, listen to them perform the telephone directory.
They come up with that unforgettable song to wrap their magic around, and Podunk Nowhere could conquer the world.