Singers of seasons, players of Floyd-tinged folk-prog, Mostly Autumn have been at one with nature and sweet, pagan-ish tunes for nearly 20 years. Now they’ve written a concept album about the impact of murder. It’s a blackened change of tack, but it could be one of the best musical decisions mainman Bryan Josh has made.
The plaintive, storytelling-through-song aspect – propelled by Olivia Sparnenn’s prettily articulated vocals – may arouse suspicion from those less keen on new-age girly singing (complete with ‘daisy chains’, ‘laying by rivers’ and other woodland frolics, in Skin On Skin). And yet sharpened, majestic overtones and quietly ominous moments make this album a genuinely commanding prospect.
Symphonic qualities develop in Not Yours, and as the melancholy narrative grows, some exquisite tones emerge – with moving, original vocal strains and guitar lines singing out of the title track. A pretty, imaginative dive into the dark side.
