Lookaftering

Angelic female folk. Her voice is breathy and high, but easy to like (unlike say Joanna Newsome), the accompanying instrumentation is simple but beautiful. The songs sound reminiscent of traditional British folk. The instrumentation reminds me of being at a renaissance fair. Neo-classical god Max Richter produced this, Devendra Banhart, Joanna Newsome & others provide some of the musical accompaniment.

Here's the story: 35 years ago Vashti Bunyan recorded Just Another Diamond Day, a folk album that didn't sell well, so she went to be a rural Irish woman. Over time, people fell in love with it, it was reissued in 2000. Devendra Banhart wrote to her to ask if he should continue making music. Animal Collective got her to record their Prospect Hummer EP.

I had a hard time coming up with track descriptions for this album because they are so beautiful and fragile that I don't have the vocabulary to translate the feeling into words. This is Joan Baez if she was an apolitical angel. These songs are like running through sun-drenched meadows to the embrace of departed friends and lovers. If you like any track on here or Another Diamond Day, you'll like every track. They're all similar, and none are duds. FCC Clean. Picks: 3, 5, 8.

-David Blackman (Wicked Child)

1) Fingerpicked guitar, heart-wrenching soaring woodwind. Vocals so high as to be indecipherable. Not a bad thing. (2:21)
2) Rhythm & feel of a British folksong, xylophone, slightly deeper/throatier vocals. (2:05)
**3) Slow, deliberate fingerpicking & vocals. Decipherable vocals. Sparse until piano & 2nd guitar come in ~2min. Last minute is joyous instrumental. (3:06)
4) Vocals & piano. Eventual flute. (3:23)
**5) Fingerpicked guitar, Harp! Delicate vocals, mournful/spiritual/folky.
6) Piano, period percussion + woodwind sweel. Lovely Metallic Chimes
7) Lullaby instrumentation -- A Harp! Less longing feel than most tracks. (2:15)
**8) Clean electric guitar/mandolin(?) + flute, mournful violin. Instruments layer to a swell. Most interesting musically.
9) Guitar + vocals, very sparse, piano in 2nd half.
10) Decipherable vocals (lower pitch than on most tracks), guitar, oboe, violin, 1:40 instrumental outro.
11) Just wistful humming/nonsense vocalization + guitar. Xylophone at end!)