SO RARELY appears a record that reminds you why albums, not single track downloads, have stood the test of time.
Mercury award nominees Sweet Billy Pilgrim make a life affirming concoction of sound all of their own – steeped in regrets and losses. In the mix you can hear the sonic beauty of Scott Walker, something of Gram Parsons’ fragility and much of the experimentation and melody of Elbow and Radiohead.
Chief Pilgrim Tim Elsenburg is refreshingly literate, and working with an expanded, more confident palette there is depth a-plenty here. The record isn’t perfect, the reach for a sweeping sound does grate, and some of the latter half drags its feet.
Yet those very human flaws do not detract from the emotion, ambition and intent to come to terms with past events – something any listener with at least half a heart will respond to.
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