Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey once served together in the late-‘70s / early ‘80s power pop group the dB’s and in 1991 came together again for an album, Mavericks, that celebrated their intuitive chemistry as it matured into modern adult contemporary folk-pop that retained its editorial soul. In 2009, they again joined forces for the easeful Here and Now, another collection of modestly arranged pop gems. The album begins with a cover of the late ‘60’s-early ‘70’s group Family’s “My Friend the Sun,” a reflection of their deep musical interests and their advancing age. “Santa Monica” immediately ups the wattage with a few extra electric guitars, but Stamey and Holsapple smartly avoid pushing their gentle harmonies towards needless strain and abrasion, spending most of their time in the quieter terrain of “Broken Record,” “Begin Again,” and “Early In the Morning.” “Tape Op Blues” reflects on their near meeting with pop stardom as the dB’s, while “Song for Johnny Cash” pays homage to another of their musical heroes without losing itself in sentimentality.