Autumn Tales

Eden Land
Laura Jean
V2, 2008
4.5 stars

The tag 'concept album' can often act as a flashing sign reading 'caution: artist on an ego-trip', but fear not, this is not that kind of concept album. Folk music, by its nature, is the telling of stories, and Eden Land, the second long-player from Melbourne's Laura Jean, is no different. The title symbolically refers to recent changes in Jean's own personal circumstance - it's a kind of 'coming of age' tale, and the nine tracks that make up this album paint it in beautiful, bittersweet, autumnal strokes. Some concept albums fall apart when individual tracks are picked out, but every song on this album stands up on its own, from the stunning ethereal opener to the rich, upbeat Lady of the Lake and beyond. Jean's voice is her main weapon - perfectly controlled, at times reminiscent of Katie Noonan - but the accompaniment of her Eden Land Band is what makes this album flow so freely. If this is a break-up album, Laura Jean's ex must be crying bucketloads right about now.

Artwork: A

Published in mX, Thursday March 6, 2008