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CMU Approved
Approved: David’s Lyre – Picture Of Our Youth
By Aly Barchi | Published on Wednesday 1 February 2012
The lifespan of ‘alternative pop’ creature David’s Lyre, alias singer-songwriter Paul Dixon, might be all but over, but there’s a vital vigour and verve to debut album ‘Picture Of Our Youth’ that almost impels you to believe otherwise.
Without doubt deserving of the big release for which it was intended; the album is the very ‘Picture’ of Dixon’s flair for ‘folkloric pop’ made real, sounding serenely unscathed by any sense of the “tension” to which he has alluded as reason for his apparent fall-out with ex-label Hideout Records.
Take ‘The Fall’, which, like much of the LP strikes a delicate, diaphanous balance between pastoral folk phrasing and synthetic production. Arranged and executed with so slight a touch as to seem easily-done, it’s really a labyrinth of layers, high-flown sentiment snatched from the air (and the florid borders of hackneyed balladry) by a rhythmic anchorage of furrowed synths and spiny xylophone refrains.
It’s also part of what proves a well-stocked mid-section; ‘These Trees’ (seen here serenading a skip) brims with grace and beauty, tending towards a breathless, heart-bursting pitch; ‘Heartbeat’ owes its rosy romanticism to Dixon’s unfettered tenor, which roams the breadth of ‘Pictures’ like that of a world-wise choir boy; ‘Picture Of’ runs to a blood-rush beat of angst and desire; while abject penultimate ‘Only Words’ acts as the evening shadow to previous tracks’ sunlit lustre.
‘Picture Of Our Youth’ is set for release on a pay-what-you-want basis on 20 Feb. Paul will provide solo support on Spector’s forthcoming tour, before rejoining his band for a last live swansong at London’s 100 Club on 1 Mar.
Until then, you can stream the album in full just here:
