Product Review

This Empty Northern Hemisphere is Isakov s latest collection of songs in which he conjures the miracles and heartaches of day to day living then transforms them into melodies, with a serious commitment to songcraft and musicianship. Isakov composed the songs for This Empty Northern Hemisphere following his relocation from the Colorado wilds to the town of Boulder. The period also marked the beginning of a new creative cycle for the 28-year-old singer songwriter, who combines his personal past with poetry to create a musically visceral present. Isakov co-produced the album at various locations with Jamie Mefford who also engineered and is credited with God Noises. He s accompanied throughout by his band, the Freight: Jen Gilleran (drums), Jeb Bows (violin) and Phil Parker (cello). Isakov plays guitars, banjo, piano and harmonica, among other instruments. Brandi Carlile (Columbia) sings on 5 of the tracks. The pair also cut Leonard Cohen s One of Us Cannot Be Wrong, as a duet.