Martin Courtney - Many Moons
6/10
There's a beautifully retro summer feel to Many Moons that conjures up images of lying lazily on the lawn, deconstructing daisy chains and contemplating fluffy white clouds as they drift against an azure sky. Had this been released in May I would have immediately ran out and bought a Mustang convertible, flowery shirt and straw hat and headed off for California (the one just North of Hemsby). As it is, we are battening down the hatches preparing to turn back the clocks for six months of central heating, casseroles and chunky sweaters. Anyone old enough to remember the original Summer of Love, when folks really did wear flowers in their hair, will immediately dig (yeah, we genuinely did used to say that) songs like Northern Lights, Awake and Before We Begin, which transcend the sixties sound of Donovan, Simon and Garfunkel and Lovin' Spoonful and embrace the laid-back vibe of seventies balladeers like David Gates and Al Stewart. Perfect for retro enthusiasts and nostalgics alike, but as the Real Estate guys would say, the best time of year to sell this kind of property is undoubtedly the spring.
6/10 (but ask me again next June)
