Try Me Bicycle’s “Voicings” is this strangely serene blend of indie, folk and jazz that can make the listener suddenly feel like they’ve stumbled upon some sort of new and unknown paradise. Although the album is generally a tranquil one, each and every song has something that intrigues you and keeps you interested the entire way through.

Guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for the band, Andy Naylor, is one of those artists with that skill to write songs that are essentially stories in and of themselves. Not only are they so by way of their lyrics, but also of the music itself. His craft is littered across this album whether it’s in the bleak and heavyhearted My History Bore A Knife where lyrics like: “First the hunger strike then the sleepless will / Such a heavy blow, I the bastard cry for help” are sung alongside an artfully maddening and descending sounding piano or in the song Two Stern Feet which is quite the opposite as the guitar plays a quick and ascending melody to the hopeful lyrics “Born a sum some trillion cells to bond / So one heart beats / Bond so one heart beats”.

One really cool thing about this album was the relatively extensive use of jazz stylings without this coming across as a jazz release. The song The Hard Line introduces some classically quirky sounding jazz piano that got me to imagine myself sipping a martini in a dim and classy lounge. (And on a student’s budget that’s probably the closest I’ll be coming to that any time soon).

“Voicings” is worth the listen for any lovers of really interesting music. That’s not to say that this is some “obscure” album by any means. It’s simply a graceful fusion of a handful of genres. The end product is an organic, unruffled release that’s all-around pleasing to listen to.

TRACKLISTING

Two Stern Feet

Lessons On Love And Junk

Of Things Sown

Big Small

April Sky

The Hard Line

R Brown

Dark Bedroom Hallowed

The Sodium Lights

My History Bore A Knife

Come Sunday

Old Men Of Jerome