Windy & Carl: ‘A Thousand Miles from Nowhere’ b/w ‘Geographic’ 7-inch

For those who are unfamiliar with Dearborn, Mich., space-rock husband-and-wife duo Windy Weber and Carl Hultgren, this two-song single from Atlanta’s Geographic North is an excellent introduction. The A-side features a reinvention of Dwight Yoakam’s ’90s country hit “A Thousand Miles from Nowhere.” Weber’s chilling rendition of Yoakam’s lyrics, “I’ve got bruises on my memory/I’ve got tear stains on my hands,” resonate on a deeper and more ethereal level than the original song’s rustic ruminations. Still, it’s an earnest nod that builds strength from the songwriting to underscore this atmospheric cover. For the B-side, titled “Geographic,” layer upon layer of intersecting guitar drones wrap around each other for an undulating wash of noise, feedback, and distortion. This kind of sprawling, haunting ambiance is what they do best, and juxtaposing it with such a heartfelt offering on the flip side only draws out the potent quality of both cuts. (4 out of 5 stars)