by Ned Raggett
Lo Fine's moody country rock is, pretty much, exactly that -- moody country rock, and it'll be manna for those who love that sound and otherwise at best pleasant for those who don't. It's as much a logical extension of the attractively darker side of such sounds from the seventies as it is of more recent avatars of same -- the band's publicity names Will Oldham and Mark Kozelek for good reason in this case -- and the combination of gentle dramatics, twangy guitar and soft, slightly strangled vocals from bandleader Kevin O'Rourke delivers exactly what's expected. When a song like "Over My Shoulder" aims for an understated anthemic heft not far removed from late nineties Built to Spill, it stands out all the more from the calmer work around it. Still, otherwise Not For Us Two is simply what it is, sweet, sad, empathetic, tastefully performed, and otherwise not very compelling or memorable beyond that unless one knows one will totally love it beforehand.