We've been listening to Dean Station's album, "Raising the Root", for a few weeks now. The reason is that when the CD began with its opening track, "Feather", we were hooked. Whether its Levi Dean's Dylan-esque phrasings, the easy groove of the percussive heavy acoustic track, or the natural complementary harmonies from vocalist, Amanda Dean, the total effect was immersion. At the basic level the Deans pay respect and considerable updated energy to the folk/poet/artist of the 60's and 70's in this organic and sincere record, "Raising the Root". Helped out here by percussionist Charlie O'Neal, along with bassist Doug Deforest, the result is a breezy and deep recording that marries open rhythmic vocal interpretations of poetry with a mandolin-full nearly bluegrass canvas. The delightful fusion is pop/bluegrass/blues/folk. The CD flows with a bluegrass Layladylay love and moves with the raw and innocent quality of a living room jam while the lyrical content covers mature and poetic indie real estate. The opening track paints ala American Beauty, 'we just want to know what's going through your mind, show us a sign, so he points to a feather floating in the wind'. The Deans are story-tellers. Track 2 continues in that fashion with "Go Ahead" as Amanda uses her country clean and strong vocal describing a couple who, 'together like Bonny and Clyde they steal across the west searchin' for something greater than life's great test'. The marriage of the Deans' voices is a contrast in ironic perfection - Levi's Dylan to Amanda's June Carter - and the result is a unique quality that singularly identifies the sound - and it's in that establishment that Dean Station finds its own home.