Haruko - Wild Geese

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5...according to our Phil on Thu 25 Jun, 2009.

It's rare a singer songwriter album will blow your socks off. It does happen but they're far and few between. This Haruko LP/ CD (the CD is housed in a 12" vinyl sleeve!) on Bracken records is one of said sock blowing off records and I'm now sat barefoot wondering where the fuck my socks are. Haruko is a lady called Susanne Stanglow who currently lives in Germany and there she recorded this album at home over a 3 week period. Throughout the 10 tracks on 'Wild Geese' you'll be treated to some beautifully crafted simple songs which leave their hooks in crippling the ability for any other song to get into your head (until you hear some annoying shite on the radio.... and then you'll want to smash your radios face off). Susanne's voice is delicate and frail, and it's daubed over the guitar plucking with such simplicity you'll be weeping like a baby in no time. I'm not sure what to write about this album to be honest as I think the music just speaks for itself. Fans of early Cat Power will like this as it's not a million miles away from Chan Marshall's earlier more sparse recordings. It's thoroughly delightful and I can see this appearing on a lot of folks end of years lists. That is if they get a hold of one as there's only 300 vinyls pressed so I wouldn't dawdle if you're unsure!!

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This is one of the most beautifully evocative albums I’ve ever heard.
The problem with that is; how on earth can I follow this? Perhaps the answer is a follow-up album by Haruko. After all, she’s still a teenager and has a whole life to live yet. Though her songs belie that fact.
Haruko is Susanne Stanglow (Susi) and she currently resides in Bremen in Germany. Susi recorded this album during three weeks in December 2008 at her house. Oh, therefore it isn’t perfect, but it’s perfectly flawed and perfectly human. My mate, Fran Ashcroft (Mastering and Tinkering), made it a little more perfect.
Susi on the recording: “I really, really hope you like them because ... I am not totally satisfied. I wasn't able to do professional recordings, as you know, so I tried my best with the stuff I had. It was sometimes a little hard since it's so cold in my room that I was freezing and there were always noises around so that I had to stop recording sometimes and the mic of my recorder is not so good and - oh my god ---so many things.”
Andy Heartless-Bastard Bracken wrote: “I’m glad that the recording circumstances were not ideal. I think it will add to the intimacy of the songs. I imagine being lost on a mountain with wolves all around would be a cold and frightening experience, for example, so it’s only right you sound that way.”
What’s it all about? It’s about being outdoors all year round, climbing, walking, running, stalking. It’s about mountains and wooded lands, little birds and desert sands. It’s about changing seasons, enchanted lands, dragons and monsters, and holding hands. It’s about nightmares and dreams and cats and time, and children living in nursery-rhyme. It’s about love and loss, and discovering things, fairytales and nature dancing, and it’s how a waterfall would sound if it could sing. It’s about safely waking on the perfect day for you, smiling at nothing to be done except what you choose to do.
It’s about what life should be about, and it’s one of the most beautifully evocative albums I’ve ever heard.

5...according to Martin.

What Phil said!!! I'll eat his socks (if they can be found) if it's not on several people's year lists... Amazing album and one of the best vocal recs since Parplar... Go get it

Rating: 5 out of 5

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