two many frames

Spooky and rattling, this duo feels like a slide down a gravel pit, thrilling and grating at the same time. American vocalist Vanessa Vassar plays chanteuse to Axel Manrico Heilhecker's continental sparseness in production. Unlike similar pairings, the whole thing has a slight Western feel, making for yet another twist on this plotline. "Time Flies" features some engaging vocal pirouettes on a musical bed that sounds like the Ramones slowed down to halftime.

--Carl Glaser