It’s hard to go wrong with this laid-back folk-rock debut from the easy-to-love Canadian.
“There was no reason for me to make a record at the time,” says Tielli of his debut. “No-one was waiting for it anywhere.”
Thus the consequent record absorbs and reflects the unsullied surroundings of the artist’s retreat on Toronto Island.
Swan Sky Sea Squirrel settles like silt around a drowsy, languid folk rock aesthetic.
From the lovely thick, rippling notes that sign off Swan’s quiet meander, to the cheerily ramshackle musical ensemble and sloppy choir of Yes I Am Lonely, there is much to love.
The laid-back, trombone-laced jazz-blues of Riversea is a highlight, too. And it’s all backed with Tielli’s voice, migrating between scuffed troubadour and gentle falsetto wobble.
A naturally glinting gem.
4 stars
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