Alec Ounsworth - Mo Beauty

Alec Ounsworth is perhaps not an immediately recognisable name, but you would know him better as the frontman of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, who are currently in-hiatus. For Mo Beauty, the Philadelphian headed to New Orleans to record with a bunch of local session legends, including George Porter Jr. on bass, Stanton Moore on drums and Robert Walter on keys.

Mo Beauty offers some fine arrangements and is wonderfully produced by Steve Berlin, of Los Lobos fame. There’s instrumentalism aplenty on the album, including pianos, brass and pedal steel guitars, but the songs never feels cluttered and the mood varies nicely throughout. Bones in the Grave offers an unsettling atmosphere, Idiots in the Rain is jaunty and things are pared back when necessary too, like on outstanding track, Holy, Holy, Holy Moses (song for New Orleans), which is a beautiful, sorrowful acoustic number.

Perhaps a problem though is Ounsworth’s vocal. It certainly doesn’t sound like the kind of voice that one would expect to lead a band of New Orleans’ finest musicians. If you’re a fan of CYHSY, then you’re already in happy territory with Ounsworth’s unique singing style, and can live with the fact that he sounds a bit like a yelping David Byrne, but the uninitiated may find it to be a great big obstacle of whininess that is hard to hurdle.

Mo Beauty is always interesting - certainly more so than Clap Your Hands - and has occasional moments that are quite lovely, but your enjoyment will ultimately hinge on just what you think of that distinctive vocal.