Rating: NNN
The beguiling fifth effort from Brooklyn/Sydney indie classical quartet Clogs is a study in refinement. Composed by member Padma Newsome during a residency at Italy’s Giardini La Mortella, the folkie, melodic song cycle is fuelled by gentle acoustic guitar, bassoon, percussion and Newsome’s viola.
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It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. My Brightest Diamond’s Shara Worden sings on over half of the tracks, and her operatic voice is at times jarringly high. But it’s also soft and masterfully controlled, never distracting from the nuanced soundscapes bobbing in the background. And while the National’s Matt Berninger and Sufjan Stevens both turn in fine vocal cameos, the most effective tunes – I Used To Do, Raise The Flag – are mostly instrumental.
Top track: I Used To Do
