Superficially, Dear Companion appears to be a protest record, one with songs aimed squarely and angrily at the target – in this case, the horrifyingly irresponsible act of mountaintop removal coal mining. You can read all about the proceeds going to Appalachian Voices (an organization dedicated to stopping the practice) and about how three musicians from Kentucky – Daniel Martin Moore, Ben Sollee, and Jim James – came together to write about their love for their home state. But Dear Companion isn't full of the fire and brimstone you'd expect from musicians trying to make a point about a controversial issue. Instead, the record uses honey in place of vinegar, and the result is an experience with a broader worldview.
