Just as there is a big wave of great Indie Rock bands at present, there is also a revival of fine Singer Songwriters. That genre had become a bit over exposed with a multitude of under produced and whining. I do personally think it needed a break.
But that vacation has been long enough and two fine albums have appeared. Angus McCog's Cirrus is released at the end of April and Downpilot's next Friday, the 17th of March. For his seventh album, Paul Hiraga offers up an absolute belting affair.
This is the 7th Downpilot album and there is a real Finn feel to it. That may seem a lazy comparison, but Hiraga's vocal is very similar, however the material has far more depth. There is a gentle beauty across the whole affair. A song like Night Shade has a real Americana vibe, but the arrangement takes it far beyond that.
On The Way may sound very Crowded House, but is the Piano Pop style that leads you into the 70s Pop Rock masterclass that that decade mastered and was rarely bettered. The magnificent Totems is an absolute Pop gem with another splendid arrangement.
Red Desert is even reminiscent of Michael Penn and yet Antfinger is an instrumental mix of Bossa Nova and Space Rock. Black Eye remains in classic Singer Songwriter territory, but the slurred vocal has a real Brit Pop twist.
The magnificent title track compares favourably to John Howard at his peak. Hiraga has managed to match his gentle melodic vocal to some outstanding arrangements. Taking in West Coast Pop Rock, Antipodean blissful Pop and classic 70s Singer Songwriter material, it is a splendid antidote to IDHAS's general loudness. Highly Recommended.
You can pre-order the digital album here. You can pre-order the CD or Vinyl here.
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