J. Tillman
Year In The Kingdom
Review Date: 18 September 2009
Considering the immense success of Fleet Foxes, you'd be forgiven for thinking that drummer Josh Tillman was attempting to capitalise on it by commencing his own solo career. But the fact is, his solo work far precedes that of his primary band, consistently prolific since his first album was released all the way back in 2005. Like Fleet Foxes, his music is rooted in folk, but it appears more sparse, slender and minimalist in its nature.
No doubt about it, 'Year In The Kingdom' is a slow burner, and it takes a certain amount of patience to fully enjoy the subtle nuances of its acoustic guitar set up and the intricacies of its gentle arrangements. Tillman's voice is soft, meek and pleasing, and is dominant here, as it deserves to be, with effortlessly restrained harmonies swaying and surging underneath.
The slow handclaps and graceful strings of 'Though I Have Wronged You' are one such joy, and the steadily building chorale of 'There Is No Good In Me' is another. Flailing flutes and brisk banjo give 'Crosswinds' a touch of the avant-garde, while echoing piano adds a whole new dimension to 'Earthly Bodies'.
The one flaw of 'Year In The Kingdom' is the level of uniformity in pace and tone throughout. Though individually these songs are discreet, touching and heartfelt, as a collection, they fail to stand out from each other.
Review by: Jenny Mulligan
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