ALBUM REVIEW: "Go Farther In Lightness" by Gang Of Youths

Where do you go after penning an hour-long tale of a relationship doomed by terminal cancer and subsequent depression, substance abuse and suicide attempts? The fact that Gang of Youths frontman and songwriter David Le'aupepe had anything left to say - let alone an EP and then a double album epic - in the two years since 2015's beautifully tragic The Positions is quite frankly remarkable. For Go Farther In Lightness to be as compelling and emotionally draining as it is, then, is mind-blowing. The musical well was obviously still rich for Gang of Youths, and they have released a sprawling epic that stands up confidently next to The Positions. Symphonic interludes provide a grand backdrop for the decidedly larger sounding album that also manages to slip in some of the most intimate moments in their already sparkling catalogue. It's this feeling of comprehensiveness - that they have covered all bases - that makes Go Farther In Lightness such a rich and immersive experience. This does turn into an issue I do have, though, which is not quite self-indulgence, but something bordering on a lack of filtering. The Positions introduced us to the band's love for slow building songwriting - similar to LCD Soundsystem, who they have cited as inspiration - and somewhat concisely presented 10 tracks, the shortest of which was over 4 minutes long, most tracks upwards of 5 or 6 minutes. This worked really well as a "short" 10 track epic, contained in its expansiveness. Go Farther In Lightness suffers a little in its length - I did struggle a bit to get through in one go. And maybe it wasn't intended to be consumed in one go - there certainly is lots to unpack and process along the way - but that was one of the immediate feelings I had having finished: "jeez that was long". The thing is, though, I don't really see anything that is obvious filler, so I am hesitant in saying it should have been trimmed down. Rather,Go Farther In Lightness is representative of life after trauma; the vast, sprawling spaces you find outside of the tunnel you were so sure you'd never find your way out of. And for that, Gang of Youths should be taken very seriously.

Favourite Songs: What Can I Do If The Fire Goes Out?, Keep Me In The Open, Achilles Come Down and Let Me Down Easy

Least Favourite Song: Persevere

Rating: A

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ALBUM REVIEW: "A Man Apart" by Ben Ottewell

Ben Ottewell's third LP A Man Apart goes boldly where he has been before, and while it certainly does that pretty well it doesn't manage to either strike new ground or any real emotional response. There is a distinctly "nice" feel to this record, which is, um, nice I guess if that's what you want. But it just doesn't feel like there's any immediacy or forward motion on any of these songs, like Ottewell is content with writing songs that could be on four wheel drive ads. Again, there isn't really anything particularly bad here, it's just a singer-songwriter album that isn't trying to break new ground. His typically growly voice is also beginning to give way to a more accessible, smooth tone, which could place you on either side of this record. For me it just cements it's place firmly in the middle ground somewhere. Favourite Songs: Own It, A Man Apart and Lead Me Least Favourite Songs: Watcher, Back To The World and Bones ...

1 YEAR LATER: "22, A Million" by Bon Iver

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EP REVIEW: "Same Kind Of Different" by Dean Lewis

Dean Lewis offers up six largely acoustic-driven tunes on his debut offering, all of which are clearly aimed at wider appeal. The acoustic-pop thing has never really done it for me (read my recent Ed Sheeran review here ), mainly because behind the slick production and singable hooks there's a general lack of songwriting to be had. This is where Same Kind Of Different sits a rung above most other similar albums; take the sugar and fairy dust away and there are still six complete songs that could be on a singer-songwriter album, rough and bare. I can appreciate the way these songs have been tailored to be played to a larger audience, but the substance behind the shine is more important to me. The six songs do sound very similar, however, and they do tend to blur together into a singular mass - which could be a good or a bad thing, depending on who you are. For me that was a bit of a concern on second and third listen, but I was generally pleased by Same Kind Of Diffe...

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