Kerosene Halo

iTunes Review

Kerosene Halo presents longtime musical allies Michael Roe and Derri Daugherty in a stripped-down setting highlighting their simpatico vocal harmonies and astute choice in material. Over the decades, these two singer/songwriters have become Christian music cult heroes, both as leaders of their own groups (the 77s and the Choir, respectively) and as band mates in the Lost Dogs. As Kerosene Halo, they achieve a luminous, mostly acoustic-centered sound reminiscent of the Everly Brothers and Simon and Garfunkel. Daugherty’s angelic vocals and Roe’s slightly grittier tones are applied to a diverse but appropriate batch of tunes, including Richard Thompson’s poignant “Dimming of the Day,” Leonard Cohen’s sensitive “Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye” and Tom Waits’ delightfully weird “Bottom of the World.” The duo also does well with the ethereal “Rice Paper Wings” (by fellow Lost Dog Terry Taylor) and the whimsical story-song “Grandpa’s Skin” (by frequent collaborator Phil Madeira). Balancing the secular tunes is “The Outlaw,” a multi-faceted portrait of Jesus by Larry Norman.