Kendl Winter and Palmer T. Lee have done something ambitious and admirable. The duo, performing together since 2013, have just simultaneously launched two albums (their 4th & 5th respectively) titled, Fern Girl & Ice Man, and Uncertain as it is Uneven. The projects are not a double album. They are two sovereign projects, independent of one another, and yet, inextricably linked. Simply stated, they are the inevitable result of the joining together of two profoundly talented singer/songwriters. Put that much talent in the same space, and one album just won’t do. It just won’t, for there is too much to be said. (And, we can’t wait for the next two.)
To reiterate commentary from our review of Fern Girl & Ice Man, there really is no way to accurately describe the unseen mystical cloud of sonic magic that The Lowest Pair create and emit together. Live or recorded, that magic comes through. Although, we highly recommend attending a live performance by The Lowest Pair. If you’re lucky enough to do so, you’ll quickly realize that their name, though humble and modest, could not be further from the truth.
Here, we will dive into Uncertain as it is Uneven. (Check out our review of Fern Girl & Ice Man, HERE.)
The album’s opener, The Company I Keep, is a soft and sweet ballad about the passage of time and the inevitability of regret. Acoustic guitar, banjo, harmonica, and that sure-to-be-classic Lowest Pair harmony…
“Hello loneliness, I tried
to leave you tonight
but you linger right here
by my side”
Prepare yourself, because here comes my second use of the adjective “sultry” when describing this act. (The first occurred during the review of Fern Girl & Ice Man.) Like I Did Before, is just plain that…sultry, grimy, sexy. It belongs on the sound score for a movie about the incomprehensibly reckless nature of love. Bluesy and raw, the two go on…
“I don’t love you like I did before
I don’t love you like I did before
I don’t love you like I did before
I love you more”
Just before breaking into, The Sky Is Green, during their performance at Mid West Music Fest 2016, Kendl informed the audience that their next song was about being gullible. Indeed, the sixth track on the album is a sweet ballad to those who are the gluttons for a punishing brand of love. But it’s more than that too. It’s about waking up, and finally standing up for oneself, while simultaneously relinquishing the same pride that allowed for the confidence to occur.
Mason’s Trowel opens with a quick bit of Palmer’s guitar picking, joined quickly by Kendl’s banjo. The instrumentation is fantastic. But the writing is what compels, and quite honestly, gives me the chills. The track has an urgency you won’t soon forget, as it tells its tale—both literal and figurative—of creating something in life, and creating something of life. This gut-wrenching plea to “get it right” concludes with a resilient declaration…
“Well never have I managed in my whole life
to build a thing, to build it right
without turnin’ around, and just tearin’ it down
but not today, see, I built on the high ground”
The album concludes with the sweet and sorrowful, By Then Where Will That Be. Another magical tale of regret as it relates to the contrast that always exists between the distances we’ve traveled, and the distances we wished we’d traveled. However, this final piece is inarguably laced with hope, which is always the best place to end a tale of woe…
“Now it’s further on down the line
I keep my face forward, and occupy my mind
knowin’ that someday the light will lead me home
but by then where will that be
until then, I know what I need
that trouble may just always be
another lonesome part of me”
In a reminiscent vocal tradition to Alison Krauss & Robert Plant’s Raising Sand, the tandem of Kendl Winter and Palmer T. Lee works flawlessly. Their instrumentation is strong and unique. Their writing is authentic and brave. What it boils down to is this: It truly matters not which of The Lowest Pair’s compositions you choose to explore. The depth in their music will travel your distance, cross your divide, and give you something real…to use as you wish.
(Please don’t forget to check out our album review of The Lowest Pair’s simultaneous release, Fern Girl & Ice Man, HERE.)
Below, you can listen to The Lowest Pair’s album, Uncertain As It Is Uneven, connect with them on their website and social media platforms, watch their music video, check out their live show/tour schedule, and find their booking & contact information. Please support The Lowest Pair by visiting them online, and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing their music. And, as always, thank you for supporting real music!
Listen to music from The Lowest Pair’s new album, Uncertain As It Is Uneven:
Connect with The Lowest Pair online:
Watch The Lowest Pair’s music video for the song Mason’s Trowel:
Check out The Lowest Pair’s live show/tour schedule:
Booking & contact information for The Lowest Pair:
Contact: Lori Peters, Concerted Efforts
Email: lori (at) concertedefforts.com