Where Are the Arms

Gabriel Kahane applies his experience of collaborating with both pop acts (Sufjan Stevens, Rufus Wainwright) and classical artists (Kronos Quartet and The Los Angeles Philharmonic) to the making of his sophomore album, *Where Are the Arms*. Kahane frames his finely detailed lyrics with melodies built around unexpected time changes and rhythmic shifts; songs like “Great Lakes,” “Calabash & Catamaran,” and “Last Dance” are challenging yet accessible. A bittersweet tone pervades the album, captured in poetic snapshots of beloved grandmothers (“Icebox”), troubled friends (“Charming Disease”), and ill-starred lovers (“Merritt Pkwy”). The nervous itch of “Parts of Speech” finds balance in the melancholy dreaminess of “Barn Song.” Co-producer Casey Foubert (of Seldom and Crystal Skulls renown) helps keep the album’s complexities coherent, letting Kahane’s caressing baritone stay in the spotlight. Rob Moose’s evocative violin and guitar work play a key support role.