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Well I’ll be damned if this isn’t the sweetest thing you’ll hear all year as I can’t think of anything that barely comes close other than maybe the recent Gravenhurst release in terms of the Nick Drake reference points, but as they say more of that later. The debut album by the Relict who feature former Clientele member Innes Phillips aided Pam Berry of the Pines and Lupe Nunas of the Pipas.
‘Tomorrow is Again’ features 12 songs of such melodic depth and texture as to have your head dizzy with delight, collecting together several new choice cuts that sit neatly aside a few lost gems from long sold out singles releases including the captivating debut ‘Southern Way’ which even to this day still sends shivers down the spine, however they disappointingly omit the gorgeous ‘Out of Time’ which appeared on the split release with Below the Sea which was this listeners introduction to the band all those years ago.
Like the Clientele, the Relict furrow the path of sensitivity, the sounds invoke vague 60’s memories yet are etched with a curious contradictory quotient of uplifting melancholia, summery harmonies and languid autumnal melodies and pierced with such a faintly fragile nature that you fear that their delicate stature will crumble at the slightest movement. If your looking for reference points then familiarising yourself with the likes of Damon and Naomi with Ghost, latter period Velvet Underground, Clock Strikes 13, several early releases from the Go Betweens canon won’t go amiss, oh yeah and a firm appreciation of Nick Drake should go some way to revealing the kind of exalted spheres this lot occupy.
For the most part ‘Tomorrow’ is a docile feast of captivating spectral harmonies playing hide and seek in the evening shade with love lorn melodies, it’s those memories of love’s past that evoke a caring fondness, from the breathlessly breezy lulling of ‘Time spent with you’ that opens the collection to the closing apologetic softness of ‘Darling I know’, The Relict tenderly caress the senses holding the emotions prisoner like in their gently teasing grip, replete with tumbling pastoral chords, the naked arrangements some how come to joyous life sparkling and exuding their aura of spellbinding passions, the irresistible incandescent ‘Held in glass’ featuring the drifting vocals of Abigail Marvell aligned to some deliciously gentle spun acoustics which hints at a classic fragile beauty at its core, while the trembling ‘Childlike’ is just oozes with sublime intent. Then there’s the spine tingling out of time elegance of the ghostly ‘Along the Avenue’ subtly recalls the ghostly tremors of the Stranglers ‘Feline’.
‘Tomorrow is Again’ is a truly enchanting experience, dare you miss it? Best listened to wrapped up with a loved one.
MARK BARTON
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