State Broadcasters - The Ship and the Iceberg

The dusty, rootsy sound of the American Midwest is termed ‘Americana’, the sound of Iceland is supposedly ‘glacial’ and, while the State Broadcasters are reminiscent of both, a suitably generic, geographic adjective has yet to be coined to describe the distinctive Scottishness of their debut. Hebridean? Perhaps not. Twee? Definitely. Backed by a traditional folk ensemble, The Ship and the Iceberg flows from slow, lovelorn balladry to jangly - but still melancholic - pop. At times the ‘eclectic’ instrumentation distracts from the potency of the songs, encroaching on Irish pub band territory. However, the band show masterful restraint - such as the beautiful harmonies of Grass Stains and the stripped-down acoustic Archie’s Tears - their subtle textures create a dreamy landscape in which the songs dwell naturally. If you dress like you’re harvesting grain in a popular beer advert, this could be right up your cornfield. [Stephen Toman]