This is the first official international debut by Skallander, the duo of Bevan Smith (better known as Signer) and Matthew Mitchell. Skallander have had two albums out already, though scant few copies made it out of their home country of New Zealand (where they have received almost universal praise), but now the oddly monikered pair are ready to have their sound lavished upon the world at large. Mitchell and Smith have been playing together since their teens in various bands, and Mitchell's well-trained finger-picking could be heard on Signer's recent tours, so this third album feels like the two musicians have an almost spiritual link. Taking cues from the golden age of rock music, when songwriting was just as important as musicianship -- Skallander is an album which should appeal to those of us desperate to hear great, memorable songs. Utilizing Mitchell's virtuoso instrumental skills and haunting vocals and pitting them against Smith's veteran mixing desk trickery, the result is an album that sounds both incredibly new and yet retains the classic structure of your favorite '70s LPs. With nods to early Pink Floyd, Neil Young and more recently, Jose Gonzales and Kings Of Convenience, this is a deep and beautiful record which revels in the enjoyment of music itself. Like an invitingly mysterious book, this album will have you trapped in its hazy beauty for many months to come; we can't imagine a better forest to be lost in.