A few years ago I had the good fortune of stumbling upon a band called Gravenhurst. It was quite by accident but they are now a firm favourite in my CD collection.

Gravenhurst are basically the vehicle of Nick Talbot. He has worked with several of the same musicians on their four albums but Talbot, most certainly, is at the helm. They cite their influences as including the likes of Simon and Garfunkel, Nick Drake, The Kinks and Husker Du. Whatever inspirations they have had, the result is distinctive and very original.

If you have never listened to Gravenhurst then it is difficult to describe their overall sound. They have released both rock and folk orientated tracks but it is all most definitely them. There is a very melancholy feel about their songs and they are often not quite what they seem… Songs about love and infatuation concentrate on the darker elements and become tales of obsession, stalking and murder. You are never quite sure where Nick Talbot is going to lead you. Will it just be a seemingly innocent ballad about unrequited love or the thoughts of a serial killer?

I would not say that Gravenhurst are comfortable to listen to; they are the David Lynch of folk-rock. Where the songs will go you can never be quite sure but they will have Talbot’s haunting voice and a tapestry of darkly beautiful picked guitar. Imagine Simon and Garfunkel with subtle mental instabilities and you have a vague idea of what the songs are like…

Their best release to date is still, ‘Flashlight Seasons’ from 2003. If you want to give them a go then this is the place to start. If the strange beauty of these tracks appeals to you it is well worth looking for their other albums.

Just be warned, I was serious when I said that they were uncomfortable to listen to. I would equate the ease of listening to them with a Smartlipo procedure. But that won’t stop me from recommending them to you.