Rating: ★★★★★
Rating: ★★★★★For something ‘recorded in either a bedroom or a living-room using 1 or 2 microphones, a few guitars, a lot of coffee and a pocketful of dreams’, this EP is simply extraordinary. The alternative acoustic duo, made up of Hedley Jackson and James Coburn, may have composed what are possibly the most beautiful four songs I have ever heard and their natural approach makes it all the more better.
The unsigned release from September last year shows off the duos mix of influences which range from Bon Iver, Bob Dylan, Sigur Ros, Nirvana, Daughter, Elbow, The Beatles, Elliot Smith, Foo Fighters and Fleet Foxes. A common theme is heard throughout amongst with touches of folk and some slight indie takes too.
Indigo is the delightful opening song that is offered by this very modest duo. It is a slow and peaceful song with passionate vocals. It is closely followed by Empty Streets which given the opportunity, could win a thousand hearts in one performance. It builds up gently throughout into harmonious piece of music with monumental impact.
Over is a more mellow song than the initial two, however features the soft addition of drums and its lyrics are numbing. It is echoed through into the final song, Arboretum, which is built up from a scattered guitar melody which is held throughout the song. It doesn’t follow the anticipated chord pattern that as a listener you expect, which changes the feel of the song completely and the discreet addition of other instruments and percussion makes this song a hidden gem in any music library and a must buy from iTunes.
If you’d like to find more information about the Broken Marionettes, visit their Facebook page.
