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Reviewing blindly, the sparsest of sleeves and a press release long since parted from its subject, this mini-album is a mysterious mixed blessing. First listen reveals a sterling recording - always a bonus - and a Radiohead meets Belle & Sebastian elegance topped by a vocal style reminiscent of that guy from Puressence minus the amphetamines. Unequivocally English in tone, despite some Jeff Buckley inflections, it's a dreamily acoustic ramble of a record with an evasive centre - it's either breezy Beautiful South emptiness or 21st Century folk music, I can't decide. Occasionally rather vapid and contrived (This Is Our Song) whilst sometimes genuinely affecting (Adam and Lorraine, Everybody Holds Hands...) Ben & Jason have me intrigued.

Matt Dornan
CWAS #4 - Winter 1998/9 - The Lost Issue

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