Album Review: Lawrence Arabia - The Sparrow

It's third album time for New Zealand songwriter James Milne and the man better known as Lawrence Arabia has opted for a change in direction. Having won a legion of fans with the effervescent pop of 2009's Chant Darling, Milne has opted for a darker set on The Sparrow. That's not to say there are no pop moments here, for there certainly are, but the introspective feel of things and the beautifully arranged layers of instrumentation are probably more in keeping with bands like Belle & Sebastian or Okkervil River, whom Milne used to tour with as a bassist.

Kicking things off, the breezy Travelling Shoes is the album's most immediate pop moment, showcasing these quality arrangements as the string section take things to another level. On Lick Your Wounds it's the horns that deliver, giving this song a more reflective vibe as the album takes an early turn towards darker territory. All the early songs – even the mournful and slightly boring piano ballad The Bicycle – are working towards a stunning three-punch combo midway through, however. It starts with The O3, a nice little dose of '60s pop that builds towards a big climax, before moving onto the sinister Early Kneecappings, where the edgy piano intro gives way to the violins over an ominous beat. And, finishing this off is the icy cool The Bisexual, a jazzy little lounge number where it's hard to judge if the title character is creepy or just confused. There are a couple of mis-steps here, but they are probably the result of Milne being a little too ambitious on an album that's good on first listen and keeps getting better.