Shovels and Rope is a husband and wife duo that skirt the edge of a few musical styles. There’s a tinge of punk rock that weaves its way through the duo’s music and energy. Manticore in some ways evokes an image that’s a description of the work of the duo as a whole. The face of a man, body of a lion, and tail of a scorpion, each piece seemingly not to fit with the next, somehow making something recognizable that evokes an emotional response.

The duo’s soulful shine on the record is pushed against serious topics to make something that has depth and substance, as well as some sonic content, that make the album an interesting listen. It’s also worthwhile to dig into the lyrical content of the album hitting on both personal and social topics, including our fascinations with the cults of personality that permeate our lives in every medium, as well as family, love and strife.

As Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent work their way through the album, their voices act as a single instrument in many instances. Not two people singing in harmony, but one soulful voice joined together to spread a common message. Drifting tempo and dynamic changes that go from slow and soft, to quick and driving, and lyrics that weave between despair and hope. It’s truly an album that is diverse in content and delivery.

“No Man’s Land” references the Christmas of 1914 when troops on opposing sides of a war met in the middle for a temporary armistice drinking and sharing cigarettes, highlighting some of the better parts of humanity. The album ends with “The Human Race,” a song that laments the stranger and darker parts that occupy the other side of the coin. This caught me as two tracks that truly felt representative of the record. While the entire album is worthwhile, there’s something about the dichotomy in these two songs that I found extremely special.

On Manticore: Love and stress, pain and confusion, the tension and comfort that define our relationships with those close to us, and our overall seat in the world, are explored in detail. The duo truly explores the surreal and the very tangibly real. Just like the title Manticore suggests, the album has a face that’s immediately recognizable as human, a shared and common experience, but with a healthy dose of cynicism. Just like the scorpion's tail, it stings.

Manticore is out on 2/18 and is available wherever you find music. I recommend giving the record some of your time and attention. Let Hearst and Trent take you on a musical journey with this latest release, and if you have a chance to see them live, it’s worth the trip!

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