Abbie Gardner & Anthony da Costa - Bad Nights Better Days (2008)

Abbie Gardner (Red Molly) and Anthony da Costa are both excellent songwriters, and their collaboration on Bad Nights/Better Days only accentuates that point. Together, their voices blend beautifully, driving this collection of incredibly sad songs from shadow to shadow.

If you're looking for a feel-good record, steer clear of Bad Nights/Better Days. Both Abbie Gardner and Anthony da Costa's voices just ooze sadness from the opening notes of "Spent" to the pleading "curse" of "Someday"—with its musical theater-style duet—even through the romantic love song that closes the record.

Indeed, even the feel-good songs come across with a tinge of sadness, as if they're harboring the kind of love that happens because of, not in spite of, loneliness and regret.

What's good about this collaboration is that it's evenly matched. Da Costa's tendency to lean more toward the folk-pop or -rock end of the spectrum nicely complements Gardner's penchant for more straight-up traditional Americana. Gardner’s dobro is a perfect match for DaCosta’s songs. Her voice, both in her own songs and accompanying DaCosta, is a subtle blend of Emmylou Harris and Gillian Welch. Their duets though are more of the Dylan-Baez variety with DaCosta’s rough voice (think Dylan) being sweetened by Gardner’s achingly beautiful harmonies. Gardner also writes and sings her own songs on the record, creating a great give and take with DaCosta that adds to the drama of the record.

Track List:

01 - Spent
02 - Red Barn
03 - On My Knees
04 - Someday
05 - Pocket
06 - Crazy In Love
07 - Let Me Die In Your Arms
08 - I'd Rather Be
09 - Note
10 - You Remind Me
11 - Nothing Left To Hide
12 - Better Days
13 - I Feel Like Dancin'

Download includes front cover