Oxford's been consumed by the alt-folk bug recently, with the scene surely competing with the fabled Blessing Force crew for the city's main musical exports. Singer and guitarist Phil McMinn is something of a veteran, having been a member of bands for a decade or so, but EP 'A Crystal/A Diamond/An End/A Start' marks his first solo outing, and is a chance to see if he can cut the mustard without bandmates backing him up. There are other players and producers who helped bring the EP to life, but it's his name on the front and his reputation at stake. There are three self-penned tracks which come with the download version of the EP, plus a cover version exclusive to the physical copy. As a marker of demand, the release date is over a week away and already the physical copies are sold out through pre-orders. There's clearly a respect and a demand for his work, and maybe a second run will be printed if we all ask nicely enough.
Let's concentrate on the trio of songs that we can all have the pleasure of listening to. As you may expect from a guy with a guitar, we're talking delicate, acoustic numbers, but thanks to his experience McMinn knows a little extra is needed if he's to avoid blending into the background. So on 'Chase Horses Down' we get a gentle build, culminating in a fuller, yet still very subtle backing, along with extra voices lifting the song towards something more choral. McMinn's own voice is unforced and has a certain purity without being too clean and shiny. 'Sixteenth' is another dreamy and light track, with the stuttering beat pushed back in the mix leaving the attention on the whole song as much as its component parts. There's little reason for him to change a formula that works, so 'That House You Built From The Wreckage' is hardly a headbanger either, aiming more for wistful alt-folk with more of those delicate harmonies. It may lack diversity but it doesn't shirk on the quality.
Phil McMinn's website
Stream or buy the EP
For more news, reviews and downloads follow The Sound Of Confusion on Facebook or Twitter
soundofconfusion@hotmail.co.uk
No comments:
Post a Comment