Faces in the Rocks

Mariee Sioux’s studio debut is an enchanting listening adventure of earthy folk tunes enveloped in spiritual poetry. *Faces In The Rocks* abounds with Native American themes and imagery as lyrics of tribal people, nature and the universe unfold from Sioux’s songs. “Wizard Flurry Home” starts the journey with delicate acoustic arpeggios moving under haunting notes from a Native American redwood carved flute played by Grammy nominee Gentle Thunder of the Cree tribe. Sioux’s strong but pacific voice floats and soars, dancing around the notes coming from the pedaled picking of her guitar. And when she harmonizes with herself, the two tracks of recorded vocals sometimes braid together so perfectly that a third harmonic overtone wisps out from between them, especially on the lilting lullaby that is “Friendboats.” She invents her very own country (and cosmos) in “Bravitzlana Rubakalva” as her father Gary Sobonya accompanies her on mandolin. “Flowers and Blood” is a beautiful way to end a bewitching album.