Bowerbirds 'Hymns For A Dark Horse'

TracksandGigs is now adopting a policy of 'spending a significant amount of time' with an album before writing about it. We have probably over-rated the Mountain Goats and Bon Iver albums this year and under-rated Fleet Foxes. Of the records I gave 9.0+ reviews to, Tindersticks, Beck and Sleeping Years records have shown themselves to be well worthy of this as time has moved on. These would be the records of the year so far.

This policy has suited Bowerbirds well, because here is an album that simply requires perseverance. Bowerbirds are a folk trio from North Carolina who have recently supported both Mountain Goats and Bon Iver, this is their debut album, finally released in the UK with a couple of bonus tracks.

After the first couple of listens their songs, full of accordion, guitar and violin, sound pretty but unremarkable. It takes time for the melodies and the feel of the songs to shine through. The arrangements are delicate and sparse, but it is the harmonies and the insistant melodies that will pull you in to this album, 'Human Hands' in particular is ridiculously catchy and hummable. Not surprisingly, given the band's name, the themes explored are largely focused on the natural world and man's influence on it. Its hard to think of another album that does this so well. Frequently joyous sounding harmonies are juxtaposed with damning lyrics, most notably in the aforementioned 'Human Hands', where a line like "there is hate all around" is sung with such love.

In many ways this album sometimes comes across as a lament for the lack of spirituality in modern life, as well as our lack of thought for the natural world. Certainly listening to 'Slow Down' on the tube is a thought provoking experience. 'In Our Talons' is a condemnation of what Man has done to the environment, with the killer line "we're only human, at least thats what we've learned".

You may, however, decide you want to ignore all the themes and messages and just enjoy the music, in which case this is a lovely, relaxing record which is very pleasing on the ears. The harmonies and delicate arrangements do indeed make the songs sound like hymns and while the songs take a while to 'click', long-term this is a rewarding album. I suggest you buy this, switch off your computer and TV, relax and enjoy it.

7.9

['Hymns for a Dark Horse' is out now on Dead Oceans on cd and vinyl. Bowerbirds tour and support Bon Iver in September and if you are in Ireland, you're very lucky because they play Belfast and Dublin at the end of September with Sleeping Years supporting]