Peasant - On the Ground

Some albums are one night stands that blaze away momentarily before burning out, leaving a hollow aftertaste and rueful self-reflection (why did you like them in the first place?) Other albums are high maintenance, requiring longer-term relationships; these demands seem to emanate from Peasant's On The Ground, a listen that gives a damningly average first impression. Having spent some time with it, however, you'll find that Damien DeRose isn't actually ripping off Paul Simon/Andrew Bird, but rather channeling their spirits. DeRose's macabre slant and restrained sugar coating succeeds in bringing a bittersweet kick to Stop for Her, a track that sounds tailormade for the Polyphonic Spree until his own mournful musings sour the euphoria, whereas Exposure and We're Good attempt to break down even the most jaded muso's defences by multi-tracking the vocal histrionics. A nagging album might be a dripping tap, but eventually, you learn to love it.