If you’re looking for a way to experience a quirkier side of the musical realm, or just something to shake up the familiar sound of what continuously pours into your ears, then you cannot go past Moving Pieces Of The Sea.

If you feel all modern day music sounds the same and you’re desperate for a refreshing blast of different, The Crooked Fiddle Band’s second album Moving Pieces Of The Sea is exactly what you’re looking for.

It’s a blend of folk, gypsy and world music, all passed through the looking glass of the modern day and expanded to a grand cinematic scale. The music isn’t new in itself, simply a combination of that which already exists in the ether – however, in comparison to most contemporary releases, it’s hard not to think of Moving Pieces Of The Sea as something wholly new and unique.

Moving Pieces is a mostly instrumental album with songs containing the same sweeping sounds of a Lord Of The Rings film, and chattering arguments between guitar and violin. Album opener ‘The Vanishing Shapes Of A Better World’ switches between these two places halfway through, while ‘Puncture’ and ‘The Deepwater Drownings, Part I’ utilise gentle guitar and vocals that slowly build upon rising cello and violin notes to heartbreaking effect.

The band’s uniqueness will unfortunately always be its biggest detractor, forcing those who fear the creative new world to cover their ears and shy away to the comfort of the more relatable pop music.

3.5/5 stars

BY DANIEL PRIOR

Moving Pieces Of The Seais out now through Bird’s Rob Records

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