Brightly Painted One
SPUNK /Cooperative Music
Tiny Ruins started as the solo outing for Holly Fullbrook but is a constantly evolving project. For the second album Fullbrook has expanded the line-up to include a newly acquired rhythm section. Brightly Painted One pulls on three years of touring and experience to create a record that is significantly evolved from the debut.
Me At The Museum You At The Wintergarden is a tune that has been kicking around since Fullbrook first played shows in Perth years ago. It is a fine example of the strength of her prose and her strength at penning tunes with a classic folk blueprint. This is followed up quickly with a more obtuse take on the genre as airy, brushed drums play around waif-like vocals.
Fullbrook’s inscrutable voice has always been one of her greatest assets and it is given plenty of opportunity to shine amongst these minimalist, but considered arrangements. Reasonable Man offers Tiny Ruins’ most memorable chorus to date and Straw Into Gold finds the band at their smouldering best.
Brightly Painted One may be a considerably more subtle in its delivery than the title suggests, but that shouldn’t detract from the class of this release. Tiny Ruins have made great strides in a short space of time to create a record that borders on perfection.
5/5
CHRIS HAVERCROFT
