From the opening chord of "the lantern" to the dying moments of "hold your hand", "Hospitality for hope" by Stylusboy is 33 minutes of sheer unadulterated upbeat joyfulness ... one that delivers on the promise made in their earlier EPs.
Their sound - acoustic guitar, percussion, double bass, keys, mandolin and even glockenspiel - works so well with the male vocals of Steve Jones & the female vocals of Rachel Grisedale. The emphasis placed on both melody & harmony is something I greatly appreciate. This a fab, feel-good new-folk album ... one that may not break new ground but more that makes up for this perceived lack of innovation with great instrumentation, truly heartfelt vocals that are presented with such a sense of feeling, and an honesty of expression that is both rare & a pleasure to hear.
Stand out tracks include the two from the recent EP - "the lantern" and "love’s tale" - both of which are, simple put, an utter delight.
Others tracks of note include "closer" with lilting melody and delicate harmonies, and "be the first" with it's toe-tappingly infectious upbeat percussion & rich guitar-orientated wall-of-sound.
I've really enjoyed listening to this album & would highly recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in new acoustic folksongs.
Recommended.
Tx
http://stylusboy.bandcamp.com/album/hospitality-for-hope
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