Album Review: Flo Morrissey & Matthew E White - Gentlewoman, Ruby Man

Mozzie repellent? Check. Pimm's Cup? Check. Gentlewoman, Ruby Man? Now your summer evening's sorted.

Sure it's an album of covers, but rarely can two people take such an eclectic mix of tunes and distil them into a singular sound. After the first two tracks, Little Wings' acoustic Look At What The Light Did Now and Frank Ocean's Thinkin Bout You (spelled 'Thinking Bout You' on Gentlewoman, Ruby Man), are recreated sounding wholly different from the originals, it's clear Flo Morrissey and Matthew E White are up for a challenge.

There are limits, though. The beauty of Thinking Bout You and James Blake's The Colour In Anything lie in their soulful, heartfelt delivery. And while White's and Morrissey's vocals impress (the latter's in particular on the Blake track), they're clouded by arrangements that overpower the frailty of the originals.

It's surprising that while on some tracks Morrissey and White are happy to blaze their own trail, on others - not least their cover of Roy Ayers' 1976 Everybody Loves The Sunshine - they deliver a rendition almost identical to the original. And while White does his best Cohen on Suzanne, he's lost behind the instruments. The arrangement on Sunday Morning, though, stays true to the Velvet Underground's rambunctious original, making it a highlight.

If nothing else, through Gentlewoman, Ruby Man Morrissey and White give listeners an excuse to explore some beautiful songs and artists.