Julian Lynch - Terra (Vinyl LP, CD)

Kinda wish I didn't have to review this album. 'Mare' was my favourite LP on 2010 by a frickin' mile and a half so 'Terra' was always gonna be a difficult one to get into. Trouble is, I can't help but compare the two and I'm gonna need a fair few listens before I can commit to a definitive opinion on it. Not that this is too much of a worry as 'Terra' sounds instantly fantastic. Sure, it begins with a blast of saxophone which is never welcome in the Business Lady household but before you know it our boy Lynch is lulling my mildly outraged psyche with beautiful eastern infused jams complete with hand percussion and loosely strummed acoustic guitar. Lynch's vocal is one of my current favourites and I dig the way he'll try anything, stretching his voice as far as it will go. Opener 'Terra' is a like a blueprint for everything that is good about his style and from there on out it's clear sailing; beautiful guitars, light percussion, warm synth/piano tones and incredibly well arranged songs. One thing that strikes me about Julian's work is that it shows no pretensions to being fashionable or hip. Recent footage of him on Pitchfork soloing for 30 minutes in a Gilmore style over a slightly ham-fisted reggae infused country rock jam is testament to that yet it's still my favourite video currently doing the rounds on the site. Also love the fact that the press release for 'Terra' reads more like a bog standard CV than a testament to the power of Julian Lynch's popularity. Humble, gifted genius is at work here.