The Lost Brothers – So Long John Fante

With their debut released way back in 2008, it seemed The Lost Brothers might have taken their moniker literally and gone AWOL. But they’ve been busy: So Long John Fante was recorded two years ago in Sheffield (with studio musicians and producer Colin Elliot borrowed from fellow romantic troubadour Richard Hawley), while its successor has since been committed to tape in Nashville, slated for release on Brendan Benson’s Readymade label later this year.

Marrying mellifluous harmonising to conventional (but not staid) song-writing, the Brothers (Oisín Leech and Mark McCausland; not brothers) channel Fleet Foxes on a Bacharach tip. Lyrically love-locked, they’re not immune to generic imagery, but the duo's narrative skills are otherwise well-evinced; unfussy arrangements, meanwhile, make Simon & Garfunkel a definite touchstone. Other influences include slow-dance doo-wop (Only by the Light of the Moon) and alt-country (Bells They Won’t Ring), all adding up to an understatedly appealing listen.