Expedition Guide - Home Studies Series Volume 2 (self-release)

Listen up fans of Americana and all things world weary-but-cool - you have new music. This follow-up to 2009’s wonderful Volume 1 sees Lee Jones continuing his South Coast explorations of home-recorded lo-fi magnificence.

Again, there’s a lovely shambolic slackness to the sound which nods most strongly to the likes of Pavement on tracks like the opener 'Caution: Clouds' and the squeezebox-infused 'Vessel'. This time around, though, rather than rummaging for novel sounds in his musical toy box, Jones focuses more on a pared-back blending of loosely-played, sometimes slightly distorted guitar, and world-weary vocals which echo Bill Callahan.

So well does he create a distinctive timbre and ambience that it seems perverse to pick out any particular tracks as they’re all compelling in their own way.

Some, however, stand out for weaving electronica into the mix - drifting gorgeously in the background of 'Crutches To The Capable', forming hypnotic patterns through 'Mountains', swooping gracefully in 'Cloze Test' and 'New Church'. Chuck in the retro keyboard planting hooks deep within the fuzzy 'Exploding Star'.

At under 28 minutes my only complaint is that you’re left yearning for more of these beautifully-polished little musical gems.