Heirlooms of August is the work of Jerry Vessel, who's spent most of his career as the bassist in Red House Painters and Sun Kil Moon. It's possible that years of working side by side with Mark Kozelek has rubbed off on Vessel's approach to singing and songwriting. This was co-produced by yet another San Francisco–based underground powerhouse: Bruce Kaphan, longtime pedal steel guitarist for American Music Club and in-demand session musician. He added his judicious taste to the arrangements, giving the project an integrity that's evident from the opening mix of acoustic guitar, double bass (courtesy of Charlie Rose), and pedal steel for a tribute to America's truck stops. "Annabelle" is an effective duet between Vessel and Frances Everett, who handles harmonies throughout the album. Their "chamber Americana" gets a bucolic boost with the string-enhanced "Jerusalem Ridge" and "Cleopatra Eyeliner." Listen closely, and the tales are as unpredictable and engrossing as the deliberately sparse and effective musical accompaniment.