Gaunt Story
This Gaunt Story (Ocarina)
Newcomers on the psychedelic / folk / pop (delete as applicable) scene, Gaunt Story are actually old timers compared to the likes of Noah and the Whale or Mumford and Sons or whoever.
Well, kind of. Band leader Rob Ashworth had, it seemed, been spending his time sitting quietly at the back of freaky psych rockers SAY, who themselves morphed from angular guitar rockers Transelement via a swift realignment and the addition of a couple of members, including Ashworth. Coincidence?
The fact that his erstwhile bandmates are here lending support is a happy ending for all, as it would appear that the mini-split is amicable, but while this album falls into a roughly similar genre, a detailed listen indicates that this is all Ashworth’s own work.
It’s emotionally warm even when dealing with that most ‘folk’ of subject, loves lost, and happily the pudding isn’t over-egged – surely the whole movement will be old hat by next year? – so when you hear little shards of electronica or some blustery choruses in the vein of XTC, it can only bode well.
Overall there’s an intensity to the work – to give it a hippy-ish comparison, it’s a little like a woven blanket to wrap up in and keep warm until springtime – especially if you listen on headphones, as you can enter and become embroiled in the world of The Gaunt Story.
Donald Bush
