(Echo Mountain Records/Shock)

Band Of Horses guitarist moves from stage left to centre impressively.

I’d have to say at least a size 12, possibly an 11 if you plan on stretching them out later on down the track. That is the big shoes bearded multi-instrumentalist Tyler Ramsey had to fill when asked to join Carolina country-rockers Band Of Horses. Replacing Mat Brooke on guitar (who left in 2006 to form the gorgeous symphonic pop of Grand Archives), it would help to already be BFF’s with BOH’s bassist Bill Reynolds. At first asked to support the band when they were touring Cease To Begin, he made the transition to permanent bandmember in 2007. This obviously must have given Ramsey both the downtime and funding to create this mouthful of an album, proof that money and spare time can sometimes produce positive results. Recording and performing many of the album’s parts himself – with a little help from Reynolds and a few more buddies – the album title was lifted quite literally from a dream he had of swimming for hours, setting the relaxed and flowing vibe for the entire album. The simple joy of an acoustic guitar, some multi-tracked harmonies and the occasional orchestral swell are highlighted and underline in bold on the album, while the slide guitar based instrumental of Chinese New Year shows a man who can switch the setting from contemplative to jolly. Most comforting though, is Ramsey’s decision to not relegate the acoustic guitar to accompaniment duties of sparse strumming, so Birdwings is just under two minutes of sunny finger picking that has more ideas swimming through it the an entire Byron hippie jam band.

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MITCH ALEXANDER

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