I listened to a couple of new musicians/bands today with somewhat mixed outcomes.
First, this morning in the I newspaper I read a review of a new album ‘The Salt Doll Went to Measure the Depths of the Sea’ by a band called The Low Anthem. It is a ‘concept album’ that follows an old folk tale about a salt doll who gradually explores the sea. Each time the doll enters the water a little more of its body melts away (the third track is called ‘Give My Body Back’ and is when the doll dips her toe in the water only to find she loses it). It got four stars in the review and sounded intriguing (I really liked the idea of the story which, basically, says that the more you explore and try to discover yourself the more you slip away – I’ve not done it justice here and ought to re-read the review and follow-up on the story itself) so I thought I should listen to it not really having any idea what sort of music it was. It was okay – soft tones, percussion, piano – not especially memorable, not unpleasant at all but not something I think I will rush back to for another listen.
Secondly, I discovered that I had previously saved an album called ‘Didn’t He Ramble’ by Glen Hansard on Spotify, presumably as something I thought I might want to listen to at some point sometime and probably on the basis of another review in the newspaper. With no idea what I was about to let myself in for I hit play and rather liked the soft, folky, lilting tones – voice and guitar – with some tracks that made me stop and take notice from a lyrical perspective (‘Winning Streak’). This album is definitely one that I will return to and I think I will also explore anything else Glen Hansard has produced.
Tim O'Hare 