一聽音樂網

There is plenty to admire in this stunning debut by the LA-based singer-songwriter Jacob Golden: the tremulous aplomb with which his vocal manages to conjure and combine the best of Art Garfunkel, Jeff Buckley and Elliott Smith; the intimate style of his lyrics, which makes his songs sound like partially overheard conversations; and his distinctive melodic signature, at once anthemically Californian, in a way that reminds you of the Mamas and the Papas or Paul Simon, and modern in its sense of fragility and foreboding. Golden world feels like it might just explode any minute. But what a beautiful place it is to hang around, and how astonishing that a record that employs little more than an acoustic guitar and a voice can sound so sophisticated in its layering of echo and choral effects. Made on a tiny budget, apparently, in bedrooms and underground car parks, Revenge Songs is a must-buy.