On a bay beach near her hometown of Auckland, New Zealand, singer Hollie Fullbrook found a crab that had landed with its claws in the sand. She helped the creature to its feet and thought that, like this crab, it would sometimes need a little nudge to move forward in life. The relationship between man and nature is the theme of this wonderful album Ceremonywhich, like Auckland (“city of sailboats and fresh fish”), is surrounded by the elements, blue skies and stars.
Fullbrook has already released three previous albums under the name Tiny Ruins. Ceremony was created in a full band line-up and reinforces its pure folk pop with subtle electric guitars, a minimoog and even a stray vocoder. All at the service of Fullbrook’s melodic and dreamy voice, in which his nature poetry on flowery landscapes and ferocious storms is central. The music is timeless and reminiscent of Fairport Convention in the way folk music transitions into a completely new and unique sound.
Cass Basil’s sweet, McCartney bass and beautiful backing vocals are indispensable and Tom Healy’s inventive guitar adds color to the music. Nick Drake’s spirit haunts the songs “Daylight Savings” and “Out of Phase”, expressions of a sensitive soul that can make song melodies dance like delicate butterflies. But Hollie Fullbrook is no supernatural dreamer: her songs “Dorothy Bay” and “Dogs Dreaming” are delicately crafted pop songs with an infectious beat and a memorable chorus. Ceremony makes great art from small observations; an album that grows and grows.
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