Sparrow and the Workshop - Into the Wild

A transatlantic combination, the hard-working Sparrow and the Workshop consists of American born Jill O’Sullivan, Scottish drummer Gregor Donaldson and Welsh bassist Nick Packer. O’Sullivan's drawling countryesque voice often rises above the trio's plucked guitars and clattering drums on their full length debut. Yet her dulcet tones are never overpowering, instead yielding a controlled beauty. Each song ebbs and flows, with instruments and melodies that speed up and slow down with an animalistic unpredictability. Album opener You’ve Got It All is a tender and brooding duet between O’Sullivan and Donaldson whereas its title track begins on a harmonic folky note before breaking into rock territory and staggering out on a string of metallic drumbeats. Delivering on their early promise, Sparrow and the Workshop have created a perfectly formed first album. With just seven songs and chiming in at less than 25 minutes, it’s definitely a case of less is more. But, damn it, we want more already. [Anna Docherty]