Viking Moses - Swollen and Small

Having unfolded from a love of Neutral Milk Hotel, Brendon Massei has simply recorded himself idly playing four of his favourite songs - and without much effort to give his own spin on the tunes. Where the likes of Where You'll Find Me Now and You've Passed were a distorted vision of pop majesty tugging on the strings which everyone holds dear, these are stripped down to their bare bones. The odd harmonica backing aside, these versions are essentially a voice and an acoustic guitar, giving them a haunting quality when compared to the quirky originals. [Garry Thomson]