Dan Korn
Album: Of The Sea
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 10
Website: http://www.dankorn.co.uk

I'm not sure whether Dan Korn is just the guy's name or whether he's given his name to the band who play on this debut album, but either way this is an album of gently appealing self-penned songs sung by their writer Dan with backing from Joe Sharp (basses, trumpets etc), Bob Turley (electric lead guitar, piano, organ, percussion) and Yuval "Juba" Wetzler (drums etc). It's a soft-toned sound in general, and Dan's vocals can be understated almost to a fault, belying the perhaps surprisingly forthright nature of his lyrics and all despite their whimsical and often distinctly jaunty handclap-friendly undercurrent.

The best of his songs embody a charming demeanour that can approximate Robyn Hitchcock maybe, but there are also I guess times when there's an overriding feel of stating the plaintively obvious, and repetition gets the better of him on tracks like Lost Love Shanty (not actually a shanty by any stretch!) where it seems rather that he never quite knows when to throw a catchy riff overboard.

There's some nice instrumental touches from time to time, almost disarmingly lounge; indeed, the majority of the songs are couched in easygoing musical garb that's comfortingly easy on the ear, pleasing and inoffensive and cushioned on easygoing vocal harmonies (Grace Banks' backing vocals that embellish half of the tracks are a treat too) - none of which is necessarily a criticism, that's just how it is, how deceptively cosy, even unprepossessing, you're apt to find Dan's thoroughly likeable music: that is, until some of the songs start to earworm their way into your consciousness. It's that false sense of security that might well subliminally disturb you, so you need to be prepared to wait to be bitten back - that hasn't quite happened with me yet, but it could be anytime now (yes, I have been warned!).

David Kidman