London-based chamber pop group Seafarers hit our radar through their third, storytelling album, Another State.
By Graeme Smith
Seafarers are Lauren Kinsella on vocals, Tom Taylor on piano, Matthew Herd on vocals, piano, synthesizer and saxophone, Arun Thavasothy on vocals, acoustic guitar and electric guitar, York’s own Sam Griffiths on electric and acoustic guitar, Euan Burton on vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and production, Tom McCredle on electric bass and electric guitar, and Dave Hamblett on drums and percussion.
Following on from their first two albums that are set in childhood and adolescence, their third album introduces us to young adulthood. Another State is ten stories about people in transit, either physically or mentally, and the emotion that comes from a life in flux. Tied together by this central theme, the album gives us plenty of musical variation in a collection that has the depth to demand multiple listens.
The story starts with the raw and vulnerable Bedwetters. Delicate vocals deliver poetic lyrics against a bright and bittersweet pop instrumental. It’s instantly striking, setting out the album as a special one. I’ve rarely heard lyrics that are this eloquent. I was keen to hear more.
Title track Another State follows, melancholic and meandering. It beautifully captures the mood and themes of the album. Televangelists broadens the album’s perspective, reflecting on the wider world through a slow-burning, bittersweetly nostalgic number. Melissa rounds off the early listening with a gentle, narrative-rich highlight.
Other highlights include the passionate, sax-filled Everything I’d Do (to Get a Hold on You), the cantering, spoken-word Tiny Itch, the visceral Tough Kids, and timeless, pensive piano-led album closer A Little Loss.
Seafarers third album is an insightful album for all those suffering from Millennial malaise. Its cinematic compositions provide plenty of catharsis while the lyrics wrap a reassuring arm around one’s proverbial shoulders.
Another State is out now, available to buy as a digital album and on vinyl via Bandcamp. You can give it a listen below.
