Music that sounds like this make you, ( or me at least ), make immediate mental associations. Tumbling, rolling Folk imbued acoustic guitar. The most sparse and minimal bass and drum backing. Poetic, introspective, intoned lyrics.
I'm taken back immediately to the great British singer songwriters of the late Sixties and early Seventies. Nick Drake, Al Stewart, John Martyn, Bert Jamsch, Donovan, Peter Starstedt. Frenchman Raiul Vignal has got his handle on this particualr vibe perfectly. His new record Years in Marble evoke that wonderfully. while at one and the same time standing in its own place. This is first and foremost a beautiful, timeless record rather than a deritative one.
Yet Raoul chooses to sing in English rather than his own native French. One of the most evocative mother tongues of all. He was good enough to explain why when I contacted him on social media yesterday. Purely because he loves the sound of English so much. It's as romantic to his ears as French always is to mine.
Anyhow, he makes a fine job of it. His lyrics adorn and complement the pastoral momentum of the music rather than clashing with or obtruding from them at any point. This is a wonderfully fluent record. One track flows utterly seamlessly into the next.
Raoul's voice reminds me of Al Stewart most of all. He has a touch of Stewart's almost aristocratic air about his delivery. Initially I thought, 'Nick Drake' but there is nothing of Drake's innate melancholy about it. This is distinctly glass half full stuff. I'm delighted to have chanced upon it. Years in Marble is some record and some find.
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