Angus & Julia Stone have come a long way since 2006, the year they released their debut EP Chocolates and Cigarettes. While always representative of the unique Australian folk scene, the early songs were somewhat cutesy, without much to distinguish the brother/sister duo from other, more maturely established acts.
Cut to 2010, which sees the release of their second full-length EP, Down The Way. Still present are the ethereal vocals of Julia Stone, similar in many ways to those of Cocorosie's Bianca Casady. The folk is still there, as well; now, however, it's been supplemented with lush string arrangements, more aggressive percussion, and lyrical and structural maturity not as present on earlier works.
Let's not forget ole Angus, either. He takes lead vocals on some of the albums's strongest tracks, such as "Draw Your Swords", where he musters a bit of quavering vulnerability as he whisper-sings lyrics like, "You are mine, I am yours, let's not fuck around". While such schtick could easily become tiresome with most indie acts, Angus & Julia Stone manage to pull off such affectations convincingly, and the album as a whole is refreshingly listenable.
Down The Way is now available in Australian, UK, US, Canada, and France, as well as on iTunes.
Check out the group's MySpace for song previews, tour dates, and more info.
No comments:
Post a Comment