Album Review: Urthboy - Turning Circle

Reviewing an Urthboy record is always pleasant, but never easy.

History weighs heavily on Urthboy's shoulders. The same is true for us as listeners. Every release is a new entry in the Urthboy pantheon; a bunch of songs to be compared to a brilliant bunch of their predecessors.

Flat Earth is angry and surprisingly sarcastic: "Fuck you and your facts, I'm free." The track is a searing swipe at the post-truth world we find ourselves in. Have & Hold is the antidote to follow the opener's bane. TIAAN's soothing vocals do the heavy lifting as our host confirms just how brilliantly well he works with melody makers. Matilda is pleasingly packaged prog-politics; a reflection on mid-20th century immigration - original subject matter, dealt with in an original way. Crushing Hard is another in Urthboy's long line of classic Australian love songs. But, as with almost all of Tim Levinson's records, the best is saved for last. The title track and closer is bluesy joy packed with flow tricks. Urthboy is off the leash, a neat pivot from the more refined, earlier jams.

And so how does the Turning Circle EP fair compared to its older siblings? Favourably. Like it belongs. Arguably, there's no higher praise.