Gravenhurst

With drones and elegantly picked guitar strings, Nick Talbot’s high-pitched voice soars over a chillingly memorable, ambient folk soundtrack on this recent re-issue. Operating under the moniker Gravenhurst, Talbot has drawn numerous comparisons to Nick Drake that really aren’t that far off the mark. Talbot’s sombre folk tales are insular yet also possess an inviting lilt that captures listeners off-guard. There is something both otherworldly and familiar about songs like "Tunnels” and album stand-out, "I Turn My Face To The Forest Floor,” a tune that constantly promises to build to a breaking point that never comes. It’s a trick that Talbot weaves throughout the songs on the album and is far from a detrimental approach. By simply maintaining the minimal shape of his sonically inventive folk songs, Talbot demonstrates the lyricism of a seasoned vet with a knack for deceptively sparse and hypnotic music. He is certain to end up gaining appreciative ears for those who come across Flashlight Seasons.