The Porch Song Anthology - 'Spell Of The Trembling Earth'

At face value, Glasgow four-piece The Porch Song Anthology would appear to have all the essential qualities of a credible folk/Americana group; breezy guitars, melodic harmonicas and Rachel Devine's emotive vocals - often reminiscent of Joni Mitchell. However, when combined, the overall effect is not as great as it should be. Their music lacks a certain je ne sais quois - and comes off as languid, bland and well, very boring. Somewhere in the midst of trying to produce a sound that is appealing in the modern music world but stays true to original folk, their charm has gone astray on this record. One gets the impression that they were simply trying too hard. [Suzanne Mitchell]