ALBUM OF THE WEEK

There are very few musicians who’ll submit themselves to the final judgement of stripping back their recordings to the very basic elements and laying all of their faults and flaws in the open. There’s an honesty and truth in the process that rings through on such records, as the artist puts on show all they’ve got to offer without any glamorous production.

It’s the philosophy Melbourne’s Pound Records has built its company on, and this latest release is the greatest example to date.

Archer’s first album couldn’t have been stripped back much further, containing only his voice, guitar and stories, like it was pulled from a decades-old time capsule. His music rolls around folk, country and blues with a tinge of gospel, and feels like the tales of a travelling vagrant hitchhiking through the American Deep South during the ’50s. Simplicity in music leaves a lot of space for the mind to wander, with the artist acting as a guide or anchor for the listener to latch onto during their short period of escapism.

While Archer’s music may leave some pining for music with more content and more production, the importance of this record is its testimony to the simple, honest truths of life, love and death.

4/5.

Old Time Sing Song Man is out now through Pound.

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