Joe Gideon & The Shark - Harum Scarum

It's fitting that this brother/sister duo were invited to support Nick Cave on tour. Their bluesy, dramatic recitals are wrought through with the same world-weary, bittersweet melancholy as that Australian tour partner. Joe Gideon's largely spoken-word vocals relate autobiographical anecdotes and muse on the softer edges of life, love and loss. His smooth tones and patient but effective timing are reminiscent of Irish precursors Whipping Boy. Shark's accompanying piano and drum work is energetic when required, but equally elegant and measured on slower tunes. There are spiky moments of riffage, as demonstrated by Johan Was A Painter And An Arsonist and the PJ Harvey-aping DOL. Penultimate number Anything You Love That Much You Will See Again is the most beguiling of the lot, talking us down from our pop-culture window ledges, putting the blanket over our shoulder, passing a cup of tea and finally, gently, tucking us into bed.