With Holly Throsby’s knack for a gorgeous melody, Sally Seltmann’s talent at penning a catchy pop tune and Sarah Blasko’s incredible flair for wondrous and interesting arrangements, Seeker Lover Keeper take us through a deluge of positivity and happiness, entangled with elements of obscurity and hopelessness.
Recorded in New York in only ten days with the help of Jim White (Dirty Three) on drums and Shahzad Ismally (whose recording/performing credits are as respectable as they are diverse) on bass and guitar, these indie-folkettes have created an album that is beautiful, effortless and classy from the get go.
Sarah Blasko takes the first turn at fronting the group on album opener ‘Bring Me Back’. This solemn and emotional ballad which, instead of featuring a chorus, focuses more on the powerful nature of the trio’s backing harmonies is an incredible introduction.
The second track ‘Light All My Lights’ is a quirky, up-tempo number, which is given a sense of urgency by the various percussive elements that encourage Holly Throsby’s optimistic vocal performance.
After radio favourite ‘Even Though I’m A Woman’—another testament to Throsby’s song writing and the group’s ability to blend into a beautiful, yet moody whole—it becomes clearly evident that the album appears slightly unbalanced. This is not to say that the rest of the album is not worth listening to, it is just obviously apparent that the best tunes are contained within the earliest portion of the album.
Sally Seltmann’s vocal performance in ‘On My Own’ seems to be delivered with a little less passion than her previous work, which is not helped by the lacklustre instrumental accompaniment. However, the synth and drum machine laden ‘Rely On Me’, the dark, edgy folk tune ‘Theme I’ and album finale ‘Rest Your Head On My Shoulder’ are all standouts which provide a refreshing change both thematically and stylistically.
Those who are fans of the solo albums of these three women can almost be guaranteed that they will enjoy this offering. Filled with impressive harmonies, well-constructed lyrics and varied arrangements, it is surely a great addition to any folk-pop lover’s collection, despite its minor faults.
– Nigel Moyes
