Old Canes

With the Appleseed Cast's relentless spring and summer touring schedule, there's been little time for frontman Christopher Crisci's criminally overlooked side project, Old Canes. The band's warm, understated Americana can't easily be labeled bluegrass, country or rock, but the ease of its execution is nothing but down-home. Preferring the overall effect to be slightly washed-out both on disc and live, Crisci blends his mellow, worn-sounding voice into the mix of harmonica, banjo, trumpet and whatever else his revolving collective of backing musicians throws at him. Back home for now, Crisci is working on material for a follow-up release to 2004's excellent Early Morning Hymns. But with a release date nowhere in sight, the faithful must trek to Lawrence for this rare appearance.