Glasgow-based singer-songwriter Ally Kerr adheres to the tried, true and slightly tired tradition of Iron & Wine and Kings of Convenience with his brand of sleepy-eyed bedroom folk.
His 2005 debut Calling Out to You quietly swayed fans like BBC Radio's John Peel, while gaining considerable attention in Japan for supplying the opening theme music (The Sore Foot Song) for the popular anime show Mushishi.
This year's follow-up Off the Radar features first single Amorino, a tender if one-dimensional acoustic-guitar ditty. Kerr's simple plucking serves as a delicate backdrop to his wistful, aching vocals, as he pleads to be saved by the "love burning in you, baby". During the chorus, a nameless female vocalist's ethereal background harmonies wash over his melodies like waves at low tide.
The song's peaceful, placid tone makes lines like "I think of all the ways I'll make you mine" come off as affectionate rather than aggressive: hell, he could sing the phonebook in that meditative murmur of his and you could scarcely tell the difference. It begs for more color and build-up - not to mention instrumentation - but it's a pleasant slice of folk for the coffee-shop crowds.
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