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September 4, 2013 by Simon Sweetman

Mali Mali: Gather ‘Round The Gooseclock

mali mali gatherMali Mali

Gather ‘Round The Gooseclock

LTPS Music Limited

I’m not sold on the band’s name nor the album title but that really doesn’t matter a shower of shit – because I’m totally/utterly sold on the sound. Sweeping and majestic and there’s a touch of David Byrne to the voice and Ben Tolich (Mali Mali) is one clever fucker. Shit this is good!

Gather ‘Round The Gooseclock – despite its title (fuckit, what’s in a name?!) – has been doing the rounds for a while now; a regular friend to my stereo. Check out the video for Magnetic North  – cool vid, good song.

Gentle acoustic songs that are not obvious and predictable, songs that search out to move beyond the confines of just being a pop song. Songs that, at the same time, are happy – and proud – to be perfect, clever little pop songs.

Tolich has played in a few bands and Mali Mali has a previous EP but this is the debut full-lengther. Helping out this sound are multi-instrumentalist Peter Reid and drummer James Bignall. Their work is terrific but it’s the voice and writing of Tolich that makes this album for me.

Good Arvo is my favourite – but there’s not a dud on this album. It’s all charming and feels effortless. And yet there’s such craft to these tunes, tiny exquisite examples of what a good song can be and where it can go.

Perhaps what I like best about this is I can hear influences and touchstones that I wouldn’t care for personally – The National, Avalanche City, The Postal Service – and the finished product transcends all of that. It stands as its own thing. A really wonderful little record. Something charming and lovely and real. Something pleasantly surprising. Something to play over and over and never tire of.  This is a firm favourite for me.

Posted in Blog, Reviews and tagged with Album Review, Ben Tolich, David Byrne, Gather 'Round The Gooseclock, Magnetic North, Mali Mali. RSS 2.0 feed.
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7 Responses to Mali Mali: Gather ‘Round The Gooseclock

  1. Jono Perkins says:
    September 5, 2013 at 1:58 am

    agree entirely 🙂

  2. Murray Kilps says:
    September 5, 2013 at 2:04 am

    Yeah great album, bought it at the album release show. definitely worth a listen

  3. Phil Brock says:
    September 5, 2013 at 7:25 pm

    Great review. I didn’t like the EP so much (sorry Ben) but was surprised in the best of ways by this album. It’s really very good.

  4. Mr C says:
    September 6, 2013 at 6:09 am

    great words….

  5. Pingback: Mali Mali: As A Dog Dreams

  6. Pingback: Five Albums I’m Loving Right Now: Mali Mali

  7. Pingback: Mali Mali: Azimuth

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