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You and I and Us…and a beautifully crafted EP

Posted by Amy Bastow on 06/03/2012

Originally hailing from Melbourne, Adam Eaton is a singer/songwriter who currently bases himself in Norway. Adam arrived in Norway in 2010, and fell in the love with the country and the people so soon settled in to start work on his solo project with the help of some talented Norwegian musicians that gravitated towards his atmospheric, alternate country/folk infused songs complete with tender vocals and poetic lyrics.

In July 2011, Adam and his Norwegian band mates headed to a little island off the west coast of Norway to record his Debut EP, You and I and Us. Adam and his band recorded live in the stunning surrounds of the Norwegian countryside. The EP was then mixed & mastered in Melbourne by friend Roger Bergodaz and mastering by Adam Dempsey (who also worked with Jordie Lane, who we interviewed on Kiss My Arts a few weeks ago – such a small world!).

Adam is currently back in Australia with an armful of beautiful songs from his EP and is on his You and I and Us tour around the country.

His music can only be described as beautiful, well-crafted and touching, with lyrics that occasionally hint at painful regret. I find the use of a textured sul tasto violin in the track You Alone absolutely beautiful and the way he uses the fiddle throughout is extremely crafty and effective. The use of the little Hammond-style organ in the track Chosen Window is quaint and his harmonies are always smooth and velvety. The track I’ve Already Gone features a very “country-inspired” banjo, which for me, gives this track a very ye old knee-slapping feel, making it a little jarring with the rest of the charming EP.

All in all, a great debut album from an artist I look forward to hearing more of in future. I give it 3.5 out of 5 kisses.

Malibu Rum and a Swagger on The Wooden Sky’s Latest Album

Posted by Amy Bastow on 28/02/2012

The Wooden Sky started work on the album Every Child a Daughter, Every Moon a Sun in a cottage on the Georgian Bay in Ontario, Canada.

Aside from laying down tracks at Hotel 2 Tango (the same studio Arcade Fire’s Funeral was tracked) the album was also recorded in Ontario and rural Quebec in apartments, lofts, churches and a farm.

Their music has been described as melodic pastoral folk rock fused with elements of alternate country. As you’d expect from a folk band, their lyrics are extremely poetic but for me, it’s not enough to keep the listener engaged through arrangements that for my tastes, are a little predictable and bland.

I’m Your Man surprises us with a rather haunting opening that is interesting and captivating and the hint of an electric guitar soloing at the end also provides us with some interest.

The track Angela did speak to me with its raw emotional quality, but the progression of chords are still far-too predictable for my liking. On a positive, it is very melodically catchy and the chorus did remain lodged in my mind for days.

Although not particularly adventurous in their use of harmony, rhythm, structure or instrumentation, The Wooden Sky’s redeeming quality is their ability to craft out well-constructed melodies. However, I must admit that on a second listening, the melodic shape of many of the songs do start to sound reminiscent of previous tracks.

For most of the album, there is a definite country swagger but occasionally, there are hints to other genres, in tracks such as Malibu Rum and Take Me Out.

They’ve certainly written a mature, well-thought-through album that has some interesting qualities and intelligent and poetic lyrics, but for my tastes, it’s not really an album I’ll be listening to on repeat, except if maybe I have bottle in hand and an accompanying swagger in my walk.

I give them 2 out of 5 kisses.

Written by Amy Bastow for the Kiss My Arts Show on Joy 94.9 – All opinions are mine. Copyright 2012.