Peter Escott - The Long O [CD]

Tasmanian resident Escott made a shift from shy retirer to flamboyant frontman of The Native Cats, who have thrilled crowds from Gonerfest to the Sydney Opera House and reached new heights of acclaim with their third LP, Dallas. And here is his new solo album. Featuring no other performers and limited to the only instruments he knows how to play - piano, synth, melodica, and a solitary, awkwardly self-taught guitar chord - The Long O is as haunting as it is direct, with Escott's voice lending a reserved gravity to the often soaring arrangements. The minimal instrumentation allows Escott's long-confirmed songwriting strengths to come to the fore.