Believe it or not, sometimes feedback drenched, wailing fuzz and rhythmic static don’t always fit my mood. Sure, it sounds crazy but sometimes I quite like sitting down with a glass of red and do the entirely middle-class lounge thing with some beautiful, warm acoustic ballads. Angus & Julia Stone, an Australian brother/sister duo, do exactly this. Sure sounds mediocre and boring. I know. To be honest, it’s a little middle of the road.Yes, I can often be seen brandishing a Molotov cocktail with the intention of crushing the influence of such shruggable inoffensive music.However, Angus & Julia Stone’s debut album, following their two EPs, Chocolate and Cigarettes and Heart Full Of Wine, has something that rises it from tediously uninteresting to curious and intriguing. This is mainly due to Julia’s voice which is Joanna Newsom channelled through Bjork and taught by Beth Gibbons, which gives the songs an almost elvin quality. Simple acoustic picking is embellished with regal string arrangements which prove enticing. In general, the album succeeds in providing a soothing, subtle mood as songs are hard to distinguish from one another without constant listens. So, when nursing your Sunday punishment for the weekend of sins you’ve committed, this will soundtrack the recovery pretty well.
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