Angus and Julia Stone - A Book Like This

Angus and Julia Stone's debut record was recently Drum Media's album of the week. I wrote the review. Here it is:ANGUS AND JULIA STONE
A Book Like This

Whether it’s because they purvey beautiful acoustic melodies, or because it’s easy to relate to their emotive folk stories of joy and sadness, light and darkness, love and heartbreak, Angus and Julia Stone have won plenty of admirers since they arrived on the Sydney scene. So it is amid much interest that their debut long-player hits the shelves.

While the delightful innocence, delicacy and charm of their earlier EPs have been pleasingly retained, the siblings’ first long-player sees a notable increase in the intricacy of their arrangements. Aided in their production by Travis’ Fran Healy, these are songs just as suited to large festivals as they are to indie venues; which is just as well, considering the buzz the Stones are creating on both sides of the globe right now.

A Book Like This signals its ambitions early, with the lush and layered opener, The Beast, and never dips in quality throughout. The two singers compliment each other perfectly, as one performs backing vocals to the other’s lead. Julia’s distinctive voice is wonderfully impulsive; at times a playful bark, elsewhere sorrowful and yearning, while Angus provides a consistently soft delivery.Highlights include Here We Go Again, which builds to a crescendo over strings and harmonica, and Hollywood, which juxtaposes Julia’s familiar melancholic subject-matter with an infectious chorus. “They all would’ve been killed in The Sound of Music,” she laments. Conversely, Just a Boy, in which Angus’ pretty melody weaves through subtle ivory-tickling and upbeat drumming, is breezy and optimistic.

Hailing from a city which is awash with bands that believe the key to greatness lies in the skinniness of one’s jeans, Angus and Julia Stone really should be cherished for the unequivocal honesty and depth of their heartfelt folk compositions. They clearly make music for the genuine love of making music, and consequently have carefully crafted an absolutely exquisite album in A Book Like This. This is a bold, beguiling and touching record which couldn’t fail to warm even the most cynical of hearts.


...I was also fortunate enough to attend their final London show before they head back to Sydney for the rest of the year: The gig at Bush Hall was an emotional affair, as Angus and Julia were forced to play without drummer Mitchell Connelly, who returned home early through illness The band used a four-piece strong section as they performed songs from their new album and older tracks to another sold out crowd. It was a triumphant night, and the band promised to come back to the UK next year. On this showing, their return can't come soon enough.