Dear Hamlyn

Album review

The 11 winsome folk songs on Dear Hamlyn represent the initial collaboration between Zoë Randall and Steve Hassett, the pair of Australian musicians better known as Luluc. Having first met halfway around the world in Edinburgh, the two returned to their native Melbourne and began the creative partnership whose chemistry can be so clearly heard on this excellent debut. Written in the months after the death of Randall's father, Dear Hamlyn introduces her plainspoken but deeply poetic lyrical style as well as Hassett's soft touch as an arranger, harmonist, and lead guitarist. Understated brass and string sections dip in and out of standouts like "The Wealthiest Queen" and "A Whisper," accenting small crescendos and supporting the songs' already graceful structures without ever becoming too ornate or fussy. Likewise, Randall and Hassett's voices merge in a natural, unshowy confluence, giving songs like "Black Umbrella" and "One Day Soon" a rustic elegance and easy movement. Even at their most melancholic, a spring-like wistfulness imbues Luluc's gently melodies and sweet harmonies. Their music never broods, but merely notes the passage of time, the workings of nature (human and otherwise), and the heartbreaks and joys that occur within these confines. Like the songs themselves, Dear Hamlyn's journey was subtle and measured. Released independently in 2008 to an Australian audience, it slowly made its way beyond their home continent, accumulating fans and acclaim around the world and leading Randall and Hassett to relocate to New York and sign a deal with Sub Pop six years later. Following two more gorgeous albums and widespread accolades, Luluc's debut was finally made available outside of Australia via Sub Pop's 2019 reissue.

© Timothy Monger /TiVo