For those unaware of its versatility, the dulcimer could appear to be a relic from an earlier period in music's storied lineage--a time when a sense of folk and country antiquity held sway. And, in fact, this seems to be a commonly held belief for some. But it's one rooted in a half-measured understanding of both the instrument and its history. For those well-versed in its abilities, however, the dulcimer offers opportunities with which few other instruments can compete, though the capacity to realize just how versatile it really is rests with only a select few musicians. Thankfully, Chattanooga-based artist Butch Ross possesses a keen awareness of the boundless prospects which it affords, and in his capable hands, the dulcimer reacts in startling and often unexpected ways. By fostering a musical link between the traditionalism of the past and the modernity of the instrument’s future, Ross develops a strange but wholly affecting aesthetic which strips away the dust and age of the past 100 years in an attempt to find the heart of the dulcimer, without sacrificing any of its veracity or experience. On his new record, "Found Objects," he parses out his own influences while bringing in some that sit well outside the conventional reference for what most people consider when looking to explore or characterize these sounds. And "Found Objects" isn't actually a new album in the traditional sense--it's more a collection of previously released and re-recorded songs which Ross had written for various side-projects, compilations and as one-off experiments. These songs, which include covers of songs by Radiohead, The Beatles and Sting--as well clever arrangements of traditional songs--find him doling out sounds on a variety of mountain dulcimers. There are a few originals, though, and they stand well alongside the more familiar tracks--so well, in fact, that even when paired beside work from the more recognized artists, Ross' intuition and creativity ably lays claim to some of the same compositional territory. Curiously enough, it doesn't actually sound like an album whose main inspiration comes from the history and exploration of the dulcimer. At times, "Found Objects" feels far more like a rock record than anything else. The compositions are muscular but firmly rooted in the lithe and nimble fingerwork generally associated with this instrument. Ross has created a remarkable ode to his influences by giving the dulcimer more room to breathe and evolve than is generally allotted by most performers, and as the music reveals itself in a series of expressive folkloric movements, there comes a point when all expectations are discarded, and we're presented with a noise both experienced and timeless, a result of its celebrated past and boundless future. --Joshua Pickard