Artist:   Angus & Julia Stone

Title:    Down The Way

Label:    Nettwerk

Genre:    Indie

Bitrate:  177kbit av.

Time:     01:45:46

Size:     142.63 mb

Rip Date: 2010-03-17

Str Date: 2010-03-30





DISC 1:



01. Hold On                                                       4:25

02. Black Crow                                                    3:50

03. For You                                                       5:20

04. Big Jet Plane                                                 3:59

05. Santa Monica Dream                                            5:30

06. Yellow Brick Road                                             7:36

07. D The Boys                                                    4:09

08. On The Road                                                   4:05

09. Walk It Off                                                   3:24

10. Hush                                                          4:22

11. Draw Your Swords                                              6:35

12. I'm Not Yours                                                 3:58

13. The Devil's Tears                                             8:51



DISC 2:



01. Lonely Hands                                                  3:46

02. Red Berries                                                   5:06

03. All The Colours                                               4:31

04. Choking                                                       5:45

05. Take You Away                                                 3:50

06. Johnny And June                                               3:12

07. This Way                                                      2:39

08. Little Bird                                                   4:28

09. I'll Wait                                                     3:01

10. Change                                                        3:24



Release Notes:



Australian brother-and-sister duo Angus and Julia Stone, while nothing

if not easy on the ear, are an acquired taste. Their habit of

alternating tracks – she sings one, he sings one – makes them a

trickier pitch than one where the dominant voice sets the mood.



This is a particularly unorthodox approach given that Julia possesses

the kind of voice that generally sends critics into raptures. High and

pained, it bears trace elements of Björk, Harriet Wheeler, Kristin

Hersh, Jesca Hoop and Alison Shaw of Cranes. As a solo artist, she’d

get quicker traction. Yet the contrasting laidback stoner tones of

Angus are essential to the siblings’ appeal. Once you get into step,

the yin and yang of his and hers make for a deft emotional map. She

sounds edgy, all heartstrings; he’s chilled, all ennui. Hung across

minimal, beautiful songs, it’s a powerful mix of gentle angst.



Down the Way, their second full album, is a quiet storm. Their overall

restraint is commendable, with fine details proving as moving as

pyrotechnics might try to be in less subtle hands. Hold On (opening in

a wave of shimmer) and For You are Julia warming up her palpitations,

giving us a warning nod before ripping our emotions from our chests.

Angus, meanwhile, grooves away to himself like the most talented busker

in the world, disinterested in reaching out, bringing an organic

sun-kissed vibe to Big Jet Plane. Here, simplistic lyrics gain gradual

resonance, like a mantra. (Elsewhere, their lyrics are often their weak

spot, lapsing into hippie cliché). Around the mid-point, Down the Way

grows into something which surpasses their delicate debut and expands

their sweet acoustic softness without getting hard-hearted.



Yellow Brick Road is lovely, developing from a light Angus number with

Al Stewart undertones into an impeccably-gauged, muted rock-out, with

pinpoint staccato guitar stabs to rival Neil Young or Tom Verlaine. And

the Boys, the single, is Julia’s showstopper, a brilliantly arranged

and produced anthem-in-waiting which builds, almost invisibly, until

its chorus and crescendo set up home in your brain.



With the most basic tools, the Stones build something lovely and

lasting. Roll with them.



Deluxe edition including bonus CD of new tracks, old ones re-recorded

etc.