Phil Mongredien 

These New Puritans: Field of Reeds – review

These New Puritans continue to experiment on their warm and rewarding third album, writes Phil Mongredien
  
  


Following 2010's dazzlingly inventive, but equally abrasive, Hidden, Southend three-piece These New Puritans show no sign of reining in their ambition on their third album: unusual instruments share space with classical musicians, mumbled vocals and a recording of a harris hawk. Yet there's a warmth to these lengthy, slowly unfurling songs that was missing last time around. Fragment Two and the title track, the latter featuring the astonishing bass voice of Adrian Peacock, reveal new depths with each listen, while the standout Organ Eternal is hypnotically beguiling. At times, however, they stumble headlong into tune-free abstraction (Nothing Else). Another challenging but ultimately rewarding listen.

 

Leave a Comment

Required fields are marked *

*

*