Shearwater - The Golden Archipelago (2010)

The Golden Archipelago is the 6^th album by Shearwater, whose folk rock leans a bit closer to rock much of the time. This album is a logical follower to 2008’s Rook, in that the band sounds as though they are continuing to leave their more rustic side further in the past. “Black Eyes,” one of the highlights, could fill an arena, with a loud, pounding drum beat and an anthemic vocal performance from Jon Meiburg whose voice, with an impressive range, steals the show. Other highlights include “Corridors,” which feels a bit frantic although it gains intensity reaching a somewhat epic conclusion, and “An Insular Life” which is a slower track that seems to pack a bit of a punch. Then there’s “Castaways,” which is nearly perfect. There are a few sleepy parts in some of the ballads, but much of the album has a majestic feel to it, helped by strings and Meiburg’s powerful voice. I like this a lot, and though I don’t expect to listen to this as much as Winged Life (2004), it is as good an album as I’ve heard from them.

Link in comments.