Return to Zero
Based upon their past credits, one anticipates a segmented division of labor from the three principals in Hamilton Pool. The Voice would be Fairport Convention founder Iain Mathews. The Technician would be multi-instrumentalist Mark Hellman, who's produced albums for Mathews, Carole King, and Sara Hickman, among others. And the Writer would be Michael Francasso, whoseWhen I Lived in the Wildestablished his name among upstart Americana singer-songwriters. But any notions that Return to Zero is an assembly line collaboration are quickly dashed; these guys built this chassis using the Japanese team method. Lead vocal duties are shared just about equally, and while Francasso brings fewer songs to the mix than his two, he assumes frontman duties on two noteworthy covers--the Rolling Stones' "Back Street Girl" and Bob Neuwrith's majestically bleak "Eye on the Road."--Steven Stolder