Although everyone thinks he's American, this Kingston-On-Thames native who lives in Devon has been feted by the twang crowd for years, videlicet from the stomp of his Peter Bruntnell Combination back in the mid-90s, but this something of a different beast. It is hard to believe that Peter And The Murder Of Crows is Bruntnell's one-seventh album and his first since 2004's Played Out. Moving away from the out-and-out altitude.country of yore, Bruntnell has cited his influences here as Bert Jansch and Syd Barrett. Co-written with his Canadian songwriting partner and recorded with Danny Williams on basso and guitar player Dave Little, PATMOC is deep and frequently low-key, and although reminiscent of artists such as Iron and Wine in parts, it's a deeply singular listen.
Using instrumentation such as electric tanpuras, Indian harmoniums and arching double bass voice, PATMOC creates its have unusual ambience, writ prominent on record album opener, False Start; when, by the third mo, the vocals have dropped away and are replaced with ever-deepening drone-like former summer vapors, you have it off you are on to something special. Cold Water Swimmer follows this radical. It's the economy here that thrills. The wigout at the end of Hash Dream Craving (''It's not worth saving/it's precisely a hash dream craving'') could go on for at least two transactions � it has been and foregone within 30 seconds. Domestico has a lightness of touch and beautiful arrangements.
Peter And The Murder Of Crows would make an ideal starting point for those who've often wondered and illusion a dabble with something both sophisticated and underststed. File under 'troubled and autumnal'.
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