Wren
Nornabelle Records ***

Some Irish bands like to take what amounts to the easy way by pulling together a collection of songs that have the fizz and sweetness of Prosecco. Others, such as Dundalk's Norabelle, clearly like to deviate a bit more and deliver music that takes a while to get to know. Ken Clarke, Norabelle's primary creative force, eases his way into the music as if introducing a special ingredient into a fragile mix. Songs such as Gregarious Bird, Wren, Ghost, Unfurl, Road Mapsand the marathon eight minutes of Checkout Line might have little stylistic variation, but they get to you after a few listens with an insistence that is as measured as it is assertive. Musically, it's hushed cello and sparse piano, and if you think more along the lines of the similarly musically hued Adrian Crowley or Bill Callahan, you'll have some idea of the elegance on display here.

See myspace.com/norabelle music

Download tracks: Wren, Ghost, Unfurl