Mike Marshall & Chris Thile

Q: What do you get when two of the most melodically-gifted mandolinists get together?

A: Into the Cauldron, a collaborative effort that seems almost Grammy worthy.

The duo consists of long-lived mandolin player Mike Marshall and, the fresh faced member of Nickel Creek, Chris Thile. Thile, who so boldly took a chance and bravely ventured out onto a solo project in 2001, worked with Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer, two regulars on various Marshall records, so it was only a matter of time before the collaboration would actually take place.

Enter Into the Cauldron, which can best be described as a variety of balanced Celtic bluegrass rhythms paired together and arranged in an almost intricately perfect manner. The ascending and descending layered composure of “Shamrock Shore” and similar tracks form a sublime hook, which proves to be a common theme for the majority of the album. “Harvest Time” is one of the biggest distinctions and it is quite apparent why it’s the featured track.

Overall, Into the Cauldron proves to be a perfect mix between Marshall and Thile’s eclectic choices and sounds.