by Robert Allen
Oblivious to any trends save those they've started themselves, the Walkabouts have dominated a little corner of Seattle's music scene over the past few years. Graceful but energetic rock that draws heavily on folk traditions without ever sounding like it belongs on PBS, this 1987 debut LP introduced the band to a larger audience. Carla Torgerson and Chris Eckman provide sweet and sour vocals, with Eckman punctuating the songs with sharp lead guitar. Eckman's talent for writing songs that work on a thousand dfferent levels makes the Walkabouts perhaps the most likely Seattle band to record a masterpiece in the 90's.