album

Review:

Susan Matthews
Alone In The Midnight Ocean

Not a place where you want to be I suspect…cold, dark and reasonably wet. Not to mention the killer fish. Fortunately I’m sat in my living room with flaptop warming my knees whilst the warm sounds of this latest Susan Matthews album warm my ears. I think I might have a new thing to get into!! It’s been a while but I’m really warming to the releases I’ve heard on this label. Put simply it’s experimental music but it’s done with a real sense of depth and feeling which is often missing? I think it could be the feminine touch… Musically you get some drones, folk(y) vocals which are often hushed and breathy, piano and some strange noises which combined with the general sombre mood of the album leaves you feeling emotionally worn out. I’d like to shoehorn the word haunting in there somewhere…there, I’ve done it. It’s not an easy listen by any stretch of the mind but I liked this straight away which rarely happens with me these days (I’m well fussy…)

5 out of 5 Stars, Phil, Norman Records, September 2011