Hawaiian Guitar Expedition isn't steel guitar and banjo impresario Jon Rauhouse's eagerly anticipated third solo full-length; it's more of a stopgap/tour-only thing, combining a handful of mostly Hawaiian-themed tunes from Rauhouse's previous albums (Steel Guitar Airshow, Steel Guitar Rodeo) with an equal-sized handful of new (or in one case, really obscure) mostly Hawaiian-themed songs. Obviously, this kind of niche material isn't every indie rocker's cup of tea, but if you're down with the whole steel guitar scene, it's pure liquid relaxation.

"Million Dollar Mermaid" (from Airshow) sets up the album's central conceit -- a convincing announcer spiel from the late Frank Judge presents Jon "Orchid Fingers" Rauhouse as if he's a hotel bar/restaurant entertainer from the early fifties, backed by ever-present sideman Tommy Connell. From there on, you'll feel like you're attending a luau at a funky Pacific Northwestern coffee shop -- smooth, leisurely Hawaiian guitar tracks like "Sweet for Hawaiian Guitar and Saw" (yes, it features a singing saw) abut cozy, earthy steel-accented tunes like "Dusty Canal". "Jen's Tenor", sweet and smooth, lands somewhere in the middle -- it's sort of an intimate slow dance for tenor guitar -- and "Blue Grouse" reasserts Rauhouse's mad banjo skills. But if you're looking for the ultimate in Hawaiian kitsch, skip to the end: Rauhouse's sweet, fanciful version of "Aloha 'Oe" (the quintessential Hawaiian song) incorporates steel guitar and ukulele. It's a perfect bookend to the concept established in "Million Dollar Mermaid", and a smooth, satisfying end to the Hawaiian Guitar Expedition.