More quiet, knowingly introspective, refined pop music here, on this album of quiet and delicate songs. I seem to be hearing a lot of quiet and delicate music of late; is there more of it about than there used to be? Or perhaps I’ve become more sensitive and prone to getting ‘all emotional, like’ over the lazy strum of an acoustic guitar and the tug of a sad-sounding vocal.

Like a lot of this kind of recent music, there are smatterings of samples and electronics mixed in with the traditional core of singer-songwriter-style tunes. These are never used here as a diversion or as a needless ‘extra’, rather they add to a well-recorded set which I imagine could work beautifully as a solo live act. Some of the guitar lines here are fantastic folk pickings, which add a (good) country feel to things, and the lyrics have a somewhat ironic and harsh twist to them at times. Things never descend into martyr-style ‘why am I so misunderstood’ simplicity, and I’m left with the feeling that this album will stand the test of time well. I have been falling back into a love of effortless songwriting lately, almost rejecting at times music which is desperately trying to sound new and clever, but which can fall short so easily. The attraction of a well-turned-out song can never be underestimated.

Frankie Machine
Artists Against Success

Posted: 02|19|05 at 7:08 pm. Filed under: record reviews.
Comments and pings are currently closed.