Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo – Dear River

Linn

AUSSIE lass Emily Barker and her Red Clay Halo bring their fourth album to these shores with a bright and heart-warming style that fits in perfectly with our current heatwave.

In these current climes where the wish is to do as little as possible in the smothering warmth, this provides the perfect soundtrack to dipping your toes in the kiddies’ paddling pool while supping on the smooth juices of a freshly squeezed fruit of choice.

While not blowing anybody out of the water in the originality stakes, this is a strong and accomplished record focusing on “self, place and people” – the world Emily and her chums have experienced in their lives as musicians. Title track and opener Dear River is a calling card to the Blackwood River of her homely Western Australia, and the affection can be heard in her voice.

Barker has one of those pleasing vocal styles that hides a powerfully accomplished tone behind soft words, unleashing the full force on tracks like the more upbeat ‘Everywhen’.

There is also something refreshing in the fact that this band of sisters is doing things for themselves.

Their first three records were self-funded, and it is only after successes like accompanying Frank Turner at the London 2012 opening ceremony and providing the themes to BBC hit dramas Wallander and The Shadow Line that they have received help from a label. The result is a polished sound that still manages to capture the raw emotion flowing from their classical, rock, folk and country influences.

This is a lazy Sunday perfectly crammed in to 11 tracks and a luscious accompaniment to our best summer in years.