If the distinctive warble of Melbourne singer-songwriter Lindsay Phillips moves you – a mix between Roy Orbison and Brendan Perry from Dead Can Dance – so will his curiously timeless folk. Phillips’ bard-like baritone and steel string guitar is accompanied by flourishes from a sousaphone, a harmonium, a mellotron and a viola, among other underrated instruments.
‘Cinematic’ is an overused word to describe music but it’s genuinely applicable to songs like ‘Exile’ – a Spaghetti Western waltz that brings Morricone’s scores to mind – and to the sonorous, soulful exhortation of ‘We’re a Mystery’ with its Gregorian-style harmonising. The record has a ponderous frontier drama that unfolds at the pace of a trusty steed ridden through a beautifully barren land.
[rating: 4]
Lindsay Phillips – Only you and the Lord from Dominic Allen on Vimeo.
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