Album Review

The Contortionist And The Wandering Boy Poets – Regiments EP

• 17th Mar 2009

The opening guitar strums and gentle vocals that greet opener ‘Like Paper Plates’ bears a soft similarity to the charming intensities often displayed by artists such as Adem (in particular ‘Ringing In My Ear’). As the song develops it almost evokes a feeling of birds flapping their wings in the wind, as the flute whimsically wraps itself around the vocals to joyous effect. It’s a subtle, warm and vibrant opener.

On ‘Death, And A Mother’s Arms’ a more wholesome and fuller sound grows as the band come into play, it sounds multifarious without complicating matters and as the joint vocals hum and yelp, it induces that group dynamic that Tilly And The Wall often possess so well.

‘Regiments’ is great, the opening heavy handed pounding of the drum and country flavoured guitar lick is reminiscent of Cash’s version of ‘God’s Gonna Cut You Down’ Yet it ends in an eruption of melodious vocals. The self-titled track is quite possibly the EP’s finest moment.

As the EP progresses the genre’s on display are as apparent and diverse as the influences. The band brush upon everything: Folk to Anti-Folk, Acoustic to Electric and from Americana to straightforward pop. It’s both refreshing and pleasurable to hear such a multitude of instruments on display but what makes the experience all the more pleasurable is that they are used precisely and work to glorious effect. Instead of fighting for space, they interchange and glide smoothly along; taking the songs with them. As a result the EP often flourishes from the diversity and variety of songs and talents on offer. Perhaps, at times the over-use of joint vocals, claps and stomps deter the record from really blooming into something it clearly has the potential to become; making the already sweet a little sickly at times. But this is a minor issue, as this is a lovely first EP that is earnest, honest, intricate and at times beautiful. EP closer ‘Through Monolithic Lines’ is testament to this.