Peter Doran has recorded a debut LP that might serve as the soundtrack to the most mellow of daydreams – albeit ones infused with an underlying darkness.
The emotional landscape is established from the outset with ‘Moon’, a ballad of longing that quivers with soft guitar and harmonic echoes. ‘Puzzle Box’ introduces foreboding cello notes and Spanish-style finger-picking. In ‘The World Is Wide’, the singer imagines setting off for the wild blue yonder (“All we need is a stick and a good handkerchief to tie to it”): it’s an album highlight – a beautifully delicate track that will appeal to fans of The Civil Wars. Not everything shines quite so brightly. On ‘Tug’ and ‘Things You’re Dreaming Of’, the downbeat pace threatens to outstay its welcome, while ‘Always Kind’ suffers from overly sweet lyrics.
Overall, though, with its overtones of Damien Rice and James Vincent McMorrow, this is an absorbing, uplifting record.
Out Now.