Music > Album Reviews

Mountain Man - Magic Ship

28/08/18

Upon first acquaintance with Mountain Man's album you might expect to hear some grizzled, woodsmokey voice because of the name but the first thing you hear on the Magic Ship are three of the smoothest, clearest voices in close harmony you could wish to hear.

Most of the songs are performed a cappella, the sparsest acoustic guitar making itself heard on a handful of tracks. The album is always interesting and the vocals are extremely impressive without being showy. The songs are highly evocative, painting natural and clear pictures in the mind of the mountains and nature while the recording and production give the listener the feeling of being transported to another time; the sound has a timeless quality to it. It sounds like it could be recorded on a mountain cabin porch at dusk (I'm sure I heard cicadas on Whale Song) and is all the better for it. It's breathtakingly beautiful, at times the lyrics alluding to themes of people, the moon, slow wakeup Sundays... and underwear!  There is a perfectly fitting simplicity to the sound and the harmonies are exquisite. Magic Ship is dreamy and atmospheric and I have been loving sitting back and letting this album wash over and take me into dreams.

My personal favourite is Rang Tang Ring Toon which reminds me a bit of Rainbow Girls in spirit, another trio with gorgeous harmonies. Mountain Man and this album is a beautiful discovery. I think I'll be sailing again in the Magic Ship again very soon.