Angelo de Augustine – Tomb – Album Review by Killian Laher

American singer-songwriter Angelo de Augustine returns with his third album, the awkwardly-titled Tomb.  The title track which opens the album sees him in Sufjan Stevens mode, de Augustine’s high-pitched vocals over twinkling guitars and keyboards.

For much of the album it seems he has taken inspiration from Elliott Smith’s XO, incorporating much fuller arrangements than before.  Tracks like All To The Wind have a Beatles flavour, and the references abound, A Good Man’s Light referencing someone who “sings in a Beatles cover band”.  He even titles on string-laden song Bird Has Flown.

Still, the more successful songs are the more stripped down ones.  You Needed Love, I Needed You is the definition of a grower, with seemingly inconsequential finger picking but chord changes that really hit home and a relaxed, breathy vocal.  Tide has a brooding, navel-gazing quality (in a good way), while final track All Your Life might be the best thing here.  Guitars are gently plucked, a little piano rounds out the sound and there is a simple, catchy yet elegiac refrain of “all your life, all your life, all your life”.

While the album is a pleasant listen, Angelo de Augustine’s sky high vocals may be off-putting for some, and there aren’t really enough stand out songs here.

Track List –

1. Tomb
2. All To The Wind
3. You Needed Love, I Needed You
4. I Could Be Wrong
5. Tide
6. Kaitlin
7. Time
8. Somewhere Far Away
9. Wanderer
10. A Good Man’s Light
11. Bird Has Flown
12. All Your Life

Tomb