Every  so often an album comes along that is different in a good way. And the latest 8 track offering from beguiling singer-songwriter, Laura McCarrigle is a heady mix of folk, jazzy flavours, and swooning alt-pop.

MacGarrigle’s impresssive vocal style – although very much her own – is Kate Bush like in its tone and expressivity. And that is no bad thing.

All of the 8 songs on this recording are lovingly crafted. And have mysterious names to add to the album’s whole allure, with titles like: Invisible Cities,  Cloud Hidden and In Love of Post-Apocalyptic Watch Towers.

For the most part the songs draw the listener cleverly in by often starting with just voice and spare piano, before the tracks start building, often with the addition of a ghostly sax, and swooning strings.

Some songs are more satisfying than others. And I did find that – although Laura’s song world is hypnotic – I craved a change of pace in order to get away from too much of the forlorn atmosphere. As if reading my mind suddenly the album does just that from track no. 5 when with a Middle Eastern Oud (methinks!?) the musical ante is upped in a way that had me swinging from side to side in  my reviewer’s chair.

In fact, from here on in I was totally won over. All in all a fine record, that deserves to be heard and bought.

Plume is available to stream and download from gazeisghost.bandcamp.com

Writer: Jonathan Webster