Jason Eklund and Roger Johnson have constructed a melodic, highly charged collection of acoustic folk and blues with the theme album Streamliner's Duet. The album also encompasses some ragtime throwdowns and spoken-word snatches. The release is evocative of an old-time roots music spirit without sounding dusty (and without sporting any new age polish). And from the haunting vocal harmonies of "Super Chief: Off the Ground" to such folk-blues guitar ruminations in an early John Fahey style as "Super Chief: On the Charles," this collection reaches back to something ancient yet lives and thrives in a time all its own. The effort was recorded over a few days in 1995. ~ Erik Hage