It has been said that Bowerbirds do for backyards what The Hold Steady did for parking lots, an astute summation of the imagery evoked by Hymns For A Dark Horse.

The North Carolina trio’s debut full-length feels more like the result of three friends experimenting with musical genres for the hell of it, rather than any formal band and the album is all the better for it. Drawing heavily from Appalachian folk, the perfect harmonies and loose sound build upon a solid foundation of hooks, the end product defying categorisation, unless ‘brilliant’ is counted as a category.

There is nothing not to love about this band and this album. Phil Moore’s voice has just the right mixture of angelic and gritty and floats above fluid combinations of guitar, violin, accordion and sparse snare and bass drums, the rhythm section providing colour and shade rather than the kind of backbone that Bowerbirds don’t need. Just one listen to the stunning ‘Talons’ is all it takes to be thoroughly smitten.