Album Review: Tinpan Orange - Over The Sun

The clay is still mixed with gold dust for Melbourne indie-folk outfit Tinpan Orange, with their fourth album containing a mix of tried and true tracks suffused with interesting, quirky gems. Opener Birdy is a softly-spoken ode that finishes as soon as it starts, which has the consequence of delivering little puissance as it crosses over into the title track. It's refreshing then that Barcelona rolls in, as 11 tracks of washed-out psychedelia would be hard to take. This marks a middle section of deep arrangements that when blended with Emily Lubitz's sweet delivery show a group with talent to burn.

The leitmotif writhing through the album like a colourful serpent is one of memories of youth delivered from a mature standpoint. Like Snow is one such accompaniment that delves into this territory, by casting the refractive lens with lines such as “I loved you well like a boy and bike, I like that you loved me too”. Yet for all the clever lyrical styling there are moments as on Round The Twist that the cliché's are squeamish rather than clever. This is a highlight of the last three tracks until it drops into the sleep inducing “Rain rain go away come again another day”, exemplifying how one wrong turn can ruin the moment.

Final track Tattoo On Her Wrist is precious metal, which shows Tinpan Orange at their most persuasive. This does tend to sum up the album, which is at some turns brilliant, yet around other corners lackadaisical. However, if you like Lisa Mitchell this critique will pass over you like mead through a minstrel's lips.