MAINSTAYS of the Manchester music scene, Darran Hurst and Ben Guy have, until now, been background figures. But if there is a God in the world, Stories To Tell should yield long-deserved recognition.
Apparently the album started life as a drunken conversation in the pub, but this is in no way the work of befuddled minds.
Hurst and Guy have produced a collection of lavish, layered piano-led songs redolent of PJ Harvey with a sprinkling of Erik Satie and the mournful sparseness of Agnes Obel.
Former Glories gets things off to a fine start and sets the controls for the heart of ethereal, with curiously Neil Young-alike vocals, before the epic Mothball weighs in with the full force of an all singing, all dancing backing ensemble.
The lushness of it all is matched by a stunning hand-numbered, hardback lyric book which makes Stories To Tell the complete package. It deserves attentive listeners.
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