Brightly Painted One

Hollie Fullbrook’s second album as Tiny Ruins – and first leading a permanent three-piece band – is ornate and statuesque, writes BARNABY SMITH.

The term ?old soul? is often bandied about in relation to reflective, subtle and sometimes morose individuals, the implication being that some folks are simply born with a certain world-weariness and soulfulness of expression, a resignation to the realities of roads already travelled in some other remote, odd, cosmic plane of consciousness. The music of Hollie Fullbrook of Auckland is not as bleak as this sounds, but she does, on her sensuous, fragile and graceful second album, appear to have insight beyond most in their mid-20s. These elegant folk-inflected songs, with some more hypnotic and profound than others, are nothing if not imbued with a gentle sort of wisdom.

And tastefulness, which won’t appeal to everyone. Tiny Ruins is now a permanent band of Fullbrook, Cass Basil (bass) and Alexander Freer (drums), with Brightly Painted One* a significantly more textured and busy album than 2011?s *Some Were Meant for Sea*, while still somehow being achingly sparse. Woodwind, brass, strings, keys and light drums flesh out the instrumentation, while production is crisp, unhurried, clean and sleek. However, this ornate polish, which is sometimes so cloying and sentimental among other singer-songwriters whose rather precious sensitivity is at their heart, becomes something that contributes to the album’s appeal – it comes across as elevated, and statuesque. It is a finesse that is hugely reminiscent of Elvis Perkins? magnificent 2007 album *Ash Wednesday), another record that marries sublime songs with a mournfulness dashed with humour.

It is hard to look past the album’s supreme first track when considering its most potent charms. ?Me at the Museum, You in the Wintergardens? has a beautiful, slightly rambling aesthetic, evoking the rugged-up romance of a frozen European city, and is deeply cinematic. As with all of Fullbrook’s best songs, there is a beautiful symmetry and understated tightness, despite an initial impression of being melodically inexact and ?floaty? on early listens.

?Chainmail Maker? has a similar compactness, while probably the record’s most interesting departure from the lilting acoustic template (in combination with Basil’s always prominent double bass) is ?Straw Into Gold?, with its organ, electric guitar and trumpets. It is also an example of the extremely poetic, thought-provoking morsels of imagery and aphorism in Fullbrook’s lyrics. This puts her beyond comparisons with Vashti Bunyan, whose sound Brightly Painted One appears to have taken some inspiration from, while fellow ?60s siren Melanie is also a potential point of reference. As a more modern comparison, Fullbrook can be seen as an even more downbeat Beth Orton.

The album’s flaws are nothing to seriously detract from its pervasive beauty. However, it is conspicuous in its lack of anything particularly unexpected; the melodies and performance all fit together a little too well at times. A touch more spontaneity might have been enough to make the record a masterpiece rather than merely excellent. For all its emotional weight, it can come across too studied – though, granted, she hints at something rougher on the lovely ?Jamie Blue?, a refreshingly unsophisticated intermission.

But it is not scholarliness for the sake of it. Her songs, archaic, unselfconscious and very natural, are of a literary nature where at least some degree of contemplation – and concentration – is required by both artist and listener. And though it is not the case with all study, putting the hours in with Brightly Painted One brings rewards aplenty.

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##?Brightly Painted One? is out now on CD, vinyl and digital through Spunk (Australia/NZ), Bella Union (UK/Europe) and Flying Nun (North America). Launch tour dates below, all with Shining Bird supporting.

Tues, July 1 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane, QLD
Wed, July 2 – Newtown Social Club, Sydney, NSW
Thurs, July 3 – Anita’s, Wollongong, NSW
Fri, July 4 – GoodGod Small Club, Sydney, NSW
Sat, July 5 – Mojo’s, Perth, WA
Sun, July 5 – Jive Bar, Adelaide, SA
Tues, July 8 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne, VIC