Judge this book by its cover

It is always nice when a friend with similiar music taste jumps into your car all excited, unplugged your iPod without even asking you, then plugged on his own instead, and said, “you got to listen to this.”

What came on the stereo was barely audible. The rigid picking of the guitar laid the foundation for A Book Like This – six simple notes, that is all Angus and Julia Stone need for this song. Julia has a distinctive voice that reminds me immediately of Bjork, only saner. Her voice is like the pieces of vase you have accidentally broken while playing football in the house. It is gone, the vase, but as you pick up the shards you can still see the beautiful designs that made the pottery worth everything in your mom’s world. That is how her voice makes me feel.

Angus merely sings backup in this song, but if you check out their album of the same name, you will get dips of his lazy drawl that fits warmly with his sister’s fractured one. If it does not seem incestous, I would have said it is a wonderful marriage in the world of co-ed duos.

Less is more for this Australia-based sibling duo. I believe this is what Australia musicians will always have. Nothing grand. Nothing too much. Just one voice each from every instrument featured put together to make a simple song that still manage to grab you and hurl you all over the place.

Vern has been beckoned by the real world of sweaty football players and Swedish furniture. In the meantime, I am here happily obliged to fill in the blanks for him. Like beach sand filling up a jar full of rocks. I am hopping into your car all excited, messing up your radio channels without even asking you and plugging in my iPod. I am telling you, “you got to listen to this”.

Download A Book Like This by Angus and Julia Stone HERE.