Acoustic Ruminating
Lewis Denby may have left Room Thirteen's nest to focus on his music career, but with an EP this rich it's impossible for us to hold any grudge!
Opener 'Too Kind' is a vitriolic acoustic tune bubbling with barely contained malice; it makes for a compulsive, passionate listen enhanced by haunting vocal harmonies. Tender and even weaving cavernous silence into its heart, 'Too Kind' is one of the strongest tracks on this EP and definitely worth a listen. 'Autopilot' shows off Lewis' strong vocals wonderfully; it's a deliciously mellow and tuneful indie song that twists the major and minor into a fragile number.
Musing, shoegazing 'Wide Awake' softly spoken, perhaps a little too much as it's hard to make out some of the lyrics, but it conveys tangible fear and sorrow in its delicate workings and the shining moment of acoustic guitar solo is a gem. 'Wonder' has a smooth ease that lets it melt into your ears, although there are also moments of strident emotion, "It's beautiful to be living in the middle but staring at the edge", affirms Lewis forcefully. The production is sadly a little out of 'Fairy Stories' forcing a little too much brass into your right ear, which does rather distract from another lilting song. 'Lookout Posts and Telescopes' is minimalist and impassioned in its own slow burning way.
Lewis has a breezy confidence about him that really lifts his tunes out of the stereo and into your room, and there are some songs that could definitely charm a wider audience. I can't believe that there are people listening to James Blunt still when they could get smooth, tuneful acoustic enlightenment from Lewis.