MALONE – THE NIGHT SWIMMER
A distinct pinch of vaudeville infuses this record from the outset; Gareth Malone’s smoky, coy voice sounds like a ghost from another time. In fact, there is a feminine element to his singing that is bound to evoke the ever-haunting specter of Jeff Buckley for some. To his credit, however, Malone has exercised restraint and control of his vocals, achieving a mystique and jazzy effectiveness akin to Patrick Watson. The title track, laden with Hawaiian guitar and pitter-patter drums, really does feel like a humid cocktail binge. The band that Malone has assembled play with a measured sureness, but with enough swagger in the acoustic guitars and percussion to feel like soul. Malone’s Bacharach-esque melodies are strong, to be sure – and the occasional use of milky, old-school strings fills out the package in a very satisfying way. Listen out for peppered Steely Dan moments in songs like We Don’t Need Anything and the funky Home to My Girl. Malone does things with broad brush strokes, and keeps it in check – never too schmaltzy, always slightly darker than cheese.
***1/2
