When you put a load of ingredients into a blender you can rest assured the end product will be something new, but not necessarily what you want. For instance, put a pair of trainers, some chilli, some fat laces and a Bee Gees album – say, The Ultimate Bee Gees – into a mixer, and instead of getting a smoking hot pair of shoes perfect for strutting in, you’ll get mush – a big stinking pile of mush. It’s best not to keep your expectations too high. So when The Moth and the Mirror’s album, Honestly, This World, landed on our desk, we were careful not to wet our pants with excitement.
The band, comprised of members of Arab Strap, Frightened Rabbit and Admiral Fallow, was always going to cause a bit of a stir. And while most factions of the music press having been falling over themselves in a desperate attempt not to be the one to label them a supergroup, it was always going to be hard to talk about The Moth and the Mirror without mentioning the various groups the band-members are affiliated with. But we’ll try.
So, is Honestly, This World a big stinking pile of mush? In short – no. Instead, it’s an assured and well-crafted debut album from a band confident in their abilities. Stacey Sievwright displays an impressive vocal range, always seeming in command, whether she’s belting out the words or whispering them. In songs like the imposing Boxes she manages both, gently purring until the instrumentation crashes in around her, causing her to add more steel to her performance.
The album feels finely balanced – each song earning its place. But there’s also a sense that the band members’ outside influences have led them to create something far from one-dimensional. Tracks like Fire and Germany possess a melodically dark pop feel, while Closing Doors leans more towards introspective folk – but they still all sit together in harmony.
The title track is one of the standout songs on the album, stirring heavy drums with jarring pianos and guitar, but swiftly changing pace and offering a delicate backdrop to Sievwright’s longing vocals, before diverting towards indie dance at the halfway point. It showcases the band’s ability to switch things at will, something that makes the album worth multiple listens.
-David Standen-
