The pair spend three of the six and a half minutes in 'Naturita' exploring complex varieties of ambient and tonal space and improvisation before emerging with a slippery, driving fingerpicked interaction between vanguard and modal folk provided by MacKay's glass slide tonalities.

The other short number here, 'Lower Chestnut,' showcases the direct economy of their interaction inside a gloriously complex waltz, complete with Baroque stylings and jagged intervals inserted. The pity is that it's less than two and a half minutes long. The two are accompanied on the track by Ryan Jewell on tabla, expanding their rootsy North American groove to embrace the Indian subcontinent. On the all too brief first single, 'I Heard Them Singing,' MacKay plays a five-string requinto guitar balanced by an alternate harmonic lead to Walker's equally nimble six-string. She falls directly into their sound world, adding weight and heft. 'Pretty Weeds Revisited' features the two interacting with the enchanting sonorous statements of Dutch cellist Katinka Kleijn of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Opener 'The Grand Old Trout' juxtaposes American Primitive with English folk, as conversations and side conversations emerge, fade, and change shape to return as altogether other schemas. Two years later, SpiderBeetleBee reveals their shared instrumental conversation evolving into an intuitive, wonderfully imaginative musical language.

In 2015, intrepid guitarists Bill MacKay and Ryley Walker issued their first album of guitar duets, Land of Plenty, after developing their mutual dialogue over a monthlong residency at Chicago's Whistler.

Ryley walker bill mackay