Great Lake Swimmers — Ongiara

This third full-length release from Great Lake Swimmers falls into that rare category of albums that defy certain natural laws. Just when it seems like it can't possibly get more beautiful, the next song sets the bar even higher and it becomes an overload of pure awesome. Ongiara is slow and spare, yet amazingly rich and varied. Tony Dekker's honeyed vocals create a sort of transcendent magic that's comparable to that of Mark Kozelek, with shades of Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody. Decidedly country in flavour but not in overall tone, many of the songs are underpinned by acoustic guitar, banjo and pedal steel. Dekker weaves lyrical tales that are as ethereal as his shimmering songs, open to interpretation while bearing a straightforward foundation. Though there's nothing fluffy about this, Ongiara is lighter than air. Best enjoyed as a whole, it's a journey worth taking again and again.