Black Dogs and Songbirds
"Pink sky at last light, sailor's delight. It's going to be be a beautiful day."
This song came to me via Jeff Martin (of The Tea Party) on Instagram. Jeff (I wish we were actually on first-name terms) produced, or maybe currently-is-producing since it's not yet released, the album Black Dogs and Songbirds for Bully Hay. Jeff's known for some big sounds with some unusual instruments. I've seen him play a 1916 Harp Guitar, a Hurdy Gurdy, and an Esraj.
So I was a bit surprised by the ukulele at the beginning of Black Dogs and Songbirds. But it works. It's joined gorgeously by some strings and Bully's voice, and then some gentle percussion.
It's a really nicely put together piece with uplifting lyrics that fill me with hope about tomorrow. Nothing feels out of place. Not lyrically, nor in the mix. The touches of minimalism - or maybe it's a sparseness - leaves just enough room for me to breathe and think.
I look forward to the remaining EPs and for the album when it's released at the end of October. Look how gorgeous it is!
A tour to Adelaide wouldn't go astray either!
Swing by your favourite streaming service and have a listen. I'll embed Spotify below because that's what I'm still using.
Black Dogs and Songbirds - Bully Hay
