There used to be a long-running urban musical myth concerning The American Analog Set being a front for Elliot Smith to release work that he felt didn't sit right on his albums... Utter bollocks of course, but given the untimely death of the gargantuanly talented Smith, there is likely to be room in many people's collection for 'Set Free'. Having been together for ten years, The Set have perfected their sound over six LP's and countless singles/EP's, combining an undeniable Smith-style sweet melancholy with fragrant acoustic guitar and mutli-vocal harmonies. Opening with 'Born on the Cusp', we're immediately in classic AmAnSet territory as singer Andrew Kenny shows off the vocal chords that have made him so in demand in recent years. In possession of that rare ability to make hushed delivery seem unreasonably powerful and all consuming (reminiscant of Ben Gibbard), Kenny allows his etiolated style to gently dominate the Teenage Fanclub-esque 'Immaculate Heart 1', whilst conveying a fragility so poignant you'll be grafting in the Kleenex. Elsewhere, 'She's Half' is a heartbreaking ode in the style of Low, whilst 'F*ck This... I'm Leaving' dabbles in some post-rock brouhaha with blinding results. Their best album by a county mile. And a half...
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There used to be a long-running urban musical myth concerning The American Analog Set being a front for Elliot Smith to release work that he felt didn't sit right on his albums... Utter bollocks of course, but given the untimely death of the gargantuanly talented Smith, there is likely to be room in many people's collection for 'Set Free'. Having been together for ten years, The Set have perfected their sound over six LP's and countless singles/EP's, combining an undeniable Smith-style sweet melancholy with fragrant acoustic guitar and mutli-vocal harmonies. Opening with 'Born on the Cusp', we're immediately in classic AmAnSet territory as singer Andrew Kenny shows off the vocal chords that have made him so in demand in recent years. In possession of that rare ability to make hushed delivery seem unreasonably powerful and all consuming (reminiscant of Ben Gibbard), Kenny allows his etiolated style to gently dominate the Teenage Fanclub-esque 'Immaculate Heart 1', whilst conveying a fragility so poignant you'll be grafting in the Kleenex. Elsewhere, 'She's Half' is a heartbreaking ode in the style of Low, whilst 'F*ck This... I'm Leaving' dabbles in some post-rock brouhaha with blinding results. Their best album by a county mile. And a half...
There used to be a long-running urban musical myth concerning The American Analog Set being a front for Elliot Smith to release work that he felt didn't sit right on his albums... Utter bollocks of course, but given the untimely death of the gargantuanly talented Smith, there is likely to be room in many people's collection for 'Set Free'. Having been together for ten years, The Set have perfected their sound over six LP's and countless singles/EP's, combining an undeniable Smith-style sweet melancholy with fragrant acoustic guitar and mutli-vocal harmonies. Opening with 'Born on the Cusp', we're immediately in classic AmAnSet territory as singer Andrew Kenny shows off the vocal chords that have made him so in demand in recent years. In possession of that rare ability to make hushed delivery seem unreasonably powerful and all consuming (reminiscant of Ben Gibbard), Kenny allows his etiolated style to gently dominate the Teenage Fanclub-esque 'Immaculate Heart 1', whilst conveying a fragility so poignant you'll be grafting in the Kleenex. Elsewhere, 'She's Half' is a heartbreaking ode in the style of Low, whilst 'F*ck This... I'm Leaving' dabbles in some post-rock brouhaha with blinding results. Their best album by a county mile. And a half...