The tone of Fyfe Dangerfield’s Fly Yellow Moon is introduced in the opening track’s lyric: ‘I can’t help it if I’m happy.’ The album, the first offering form the Guillemots front man is unapologetically uplifting throughout. The track in question is a high octane pop number featuring quirky electronics, piano thrashing and an effortlessly energetic vocal; it’s as good an opener as we’ll hear all year. The rest of the album follows suit, maintaining the joyous aesthetic through an eclectic mix of pop-folk ditties. Elements of Nick Drake and John Martyn can be heard in songs like ‘Firebird’ and ‘Don’t be shy’, whose delicate, sensitive air is more heart-warming than melancholy. At times the track listing feels a little disparate, jumping between styles from one song to the next. However, the album is undoubtedly a great achievement… and get this – it was recorded in only five days!
4 Stars
