Talahomi Way

Album review

The aural equivalent of a late spring breeze, Talahomi Way finds Sean O’Hagan and the rest of the High Llamas in a decidedly dreamy state of mind. Interludes like “Angel Connector” drift in and out softly and sweetly, making the band’s previous album Can Cladders sound downright heavy in comparison, and the lush strings and genteel brass and woodwinds on tracks such as “Wander, Jack, Wander” and “To the Abbey” feel like they have as much in common with Burt Bacharach and Nelson Riddle as they do with Brian Wilson. Interspersed with these reveries are fine examples of O’Hagan's pop-craft: “Berry Adams” opens the album with an alluring sparkle; “Take My Hand” captures seaside romance in two-and-a-half minutes; “Talahomi Way” reconfigures the Llamas' Stereolab-ish side into a serene travelogue; and “Fly Baby Fly” flirts with Baroque pop and soft rock. As with almost all High Llamas albums, Talahomi Way's details can speak louder than its actual songs, but this isn’t a criticism: here, O’Hagan and crew use those details to make an album that is equally pastoral and meticulous, and listening to it is like visiting a perfectly arranged topiary garden.

© Heather Phares /TiVo