Formed back in 2000 as ostensibly a one off collaboration between Okkervil River’s Will Sheff and Jonathan Meiberg, at that point of the band Kingfisher but later to join Okkervil, to showcase some songs that Sheff thought too downbeat for Okkervil River, Shearwater has since evolved in to an outstanding project in its own right.
This is their first album recorded since the switch to Matador and picks up from where 2006’s excellent ‘Palo Santo’ left off. Clocking in at 10 tracks but just 36 minutes, most of the songs are perfect little slices of reflective introspection and as on previous outings, the twin themes of nature and death flow right through this record.
The production is the best yet on a Shearwater record, testament to Meiberg’s growing skill as both a producer and songsmith, and allows the instrumentation to breathe and express itself in a way that has been somewhat suppressed on earlier efforts. Quiet reflective moments of piano and guitar are often suddenly punctuated by violent bursts of brass and strings.
Above all, the record is imbued with a sense of drama. Meiberg is in possession of a voice of enormous range and expressiveness and a talent for writing narrative lyrics that drag the listener in to his world. ‘Rooks’, ‘The Snow Leopard’ and ‘The Hunter’s Star’ especially transport one to a place of misty moors, twilight forests and of a simpler way of life.
An extraordinarily well crafted album, every track is compelling, varied and accomplished. With ‘Rook’ Shearwater have produced a piece of work that is epic in scope, cinematic in nature and beautiful in execution. Alongside Fleet Foxes and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, June is turning in to a rather remarkable month for songcraft.
Top tracks: ‘Rooks’, ‘The Snow Leopard’.
Released 02/06/08 on Matador
