Artist: Angus & Julia Stone
Title: Down The Way
Label: Nettwerk
Genre: Indie
Bitrate: 177kbit av.
Time: 01:45:46
Size: 142.63 mb
Rip Date: 2010-03-17
Str Date: 2010-03-30
DISC 1:
01. Hold On 4:25
02. Black Crow 3:50
03. For You 5:20
04. Big Jet Plane 3:59
05. Santa Monica Dream 5:30
06. Yellow Brick Road 7:36
07. D The Boys 4:09
08. On The Road 4:05
09. Walk It Off 3:24
10. Hush 4:22
11. Draw Your Swords 6:35
12. I'm Not Yours 3:58
13. The Devil's Tears 8:51
DISC 2:
01. Lonely Hands 3:46
02. Red Berries 5:06
03. All The Colours 4:31
04. Choking 5:45
05. Take You Away 3:50
06. Johnny And June 3:12
07. This Way 2:39
08. Little Bird 4:28
09. I'll Wait 3:01
10. Change 3:24
Release Notes:
Australian brother-and-sister duo Angus and Julia Stone, while nothing
if not easy on the ear, are an acquired taste. Their habit of
alternating tracks – she sings one, he sings one – makes them a
trickier pitch than one where the dominant voice sets the mood.
This is a particularly unorthodox approach given that Julia possesses
the kind of voice that generally sends critics into raptures. High and
pained, it bears trace elements of Björk, Harriet Wheeler, Kristin
Hersh, Jesca Hoop and Alison Shaw of Cranes. As a solo artist, she’d
get quicker traction. Yet the contrasting laidback stoner tones of
Angus are essential to the siblings’ appeal. Once you get into step,
the yin and yang of his and hers make for a deft emotional map. She
sounds edgy, all heartstrings; he’s chilled, all ennui. Hung across
minimal, beautiful songs, it’s a powerful mix of gentle angst.
Down the Way, their second full album, is a quiet storm. Their overall
restraint is commendable, with fine details proving as moving as
pyrotechnics might try to be in less subtle hands. Hold On (opening in
a wave of shimmer) and For You are Julia warming up her palpitations,
giving us a warning nod before ripping our emotions from our chests.
Angus, meanwhile, grooves away to himself like the most talented busker
in the world, disinterested in reaching out, bringing an organic
sun-kissed vibe to Big Jet Plane. Here, simplistic lyrics gain gradual
resonance, like a mantra. (Elsewhere, their lyrics are often their weak
spot, lapsing into hippie cliché). Around the mid-point, Down the Way
grows into something which surpasses their delicate debut and expands
their sweet acoustic softness without getting hard-hearted.
Yellow Brick Road is lovely, developing from a light Angus number with
Al Stewart undertones into an impeccably-gauged, muted rock-out, with
pinpoint staccato guitar stabs to rival Neil Young or Tom Verlaine. And
the Boys, the single, is Julia’s showstopper, a brilliantly arranged
and produced anthem-in-waiting which builds, almost invisibly, until
its chorus and crescendo set up home in your brain.
With the most basic tools, the Stones build something lovely and
lasting. Roll with them.
Deluxe edition including bonus CD of new tracks, old ones re-recorded
etc.
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