The music scene in Providence 10 years ago was a bit different than what it is now. There was a bit of a folk renaissance going on during that time period and while the critic within me has mixed opinions about that particular era, I will wholeheartedly say that there were amazing bands and musicians making their presence felt. Two of those bands were Last Good Tooth and Brown Bird, who were somewhat contrasting from each other in style and approach but both found common ground in their songwriting. Fast forward to now, Penn Sultan from Last Good Tooth and MorganEve Swain from Brown Bird have joined forces for the project Museum Legs. On November 17, they released a new album titled “In All For Starting Over” and I find it to be a very harmonious melding of each of their respective talents.

At first listen, one element that pulled me in is how Sultan and Swain’s vocals counteract with each other. Sultan has a lower delivery while Swain has a higher pitch and together their singing forges a pleasant vibe. I also like how the guitars come across, the chords have a real tone to them and I’m willing to bet that they were recorded with just a microphone being placed in front of an amplifier as the sound went directly into the board. Sometimes folk music can come across as generic and boring, especially when it’s evident that the artist is blatantly ripping someone off. Sultan and Swain are the antithesis of that claim by putting forth original creativity into their music.

Another noticeable element is the other instruments sneaking in from time to time. There are drums being the consistent foundation throughout the entire album, but I also get the sense of piano keys and chimes being included at certain points. There are probably some other instruments being played, but you’re going to have to ask Sultan and Swain about that if you ever run into them at a show. My favorite tracks off of “In All For Starting Over” are “Trigger Finger Control”, “Before The Thumb”, “Restart, Re-Up, Rewind” and “Helixed Somewhere”. With this being said, I always suggest that anyone who gives the album a listen to do so from beginning to end and form their own opinions.

To tune into Museum Legs’ latest release, log on to their Bandcamp page at museumlegs.bandcamp.com to give it a stream and perhaps even make a purchase. If you’re looking to go catch Sultan and Swain in a live setting, go see them perform at the Columbus Theatre on 270 Broadway in Providence on December 16. Local experimental artist Erev is going to be celebrating the release of a new album that night and dream pop singer-singer Gabriela Rassi is going to be performing as well. Before heading out to the show, plug in, press play and dive into  “In All For Starting Over”. It’s a stellar example of how songwriting partnerships can be a special thing to witness.