The Autumn Defense
Should John Stirrat and Pat Sansone contemplate quitting their day jobs as bassist and multi-instrumentalist for Wilco, respectively, they ought to list their third side-project record as Autumn Defense at the top of their résumé. Three years after their charming sophomore effortCirclespaid reverence to the '70s AM pop they adore, Stirrat and Sansone revisit the immaculate production of their previous work, but with greater cohesion and broader instrumentation, as the customary layers of acoustic and electric guitars are boosted withRevolver-like strings ("Estate Remains"), Memphis-soulful organ ("Feel You Now"), and woodwinds from the Nick Drake playbook ("Canyon Arrow"). Stirrat (whose underrated backing vocals are a Wilco treasure) carries the duo vocally, his discreet voice never sparring with Sansone's brilliant arrangements. But it's when the pair sing together--best emphasized on the power pop of "Winterlight" and the L.A. folk of "We Would Never Die"--that the Autumn Defense truly shine as a full-fledged band.--Scott Holter