The Orkney-born singer is best known as frontman with avant-folk trio Lau, whose success has somewhat overshadowed his own records. The 10 originals on this third solo outing confirm Drever’s songwriting talents, eschewing tradition for deft, heartfelt pieces focused on love and loss. Unlike its predecessor, Mark the Hard Earth, there is no great array of instrumentation, Drever relying instead on simple acoustic backings and his own agile guitar playing. If the mood is often rueful, Drever always finds an upturn – “No one gets shipwrecked any more,” as he puts it – and there are tart social observations like the title track’s “I wish that politicians’ ties would tighten up when they tell lies.” Understated and unaffected, its simplicity proves winning.
