Universal appeal

An under-rated gem from last year was Sheffield folk-pop group Monkey Swallows the Universe’s first release. It was a bit of a mixed bag, but it had such amazing songs, especially the opening track “Sheffield Shanty”. I suspected that a second album might smooth out some of the kinks and give some more consistency and I am delighted to inform you that it has.

“The Casket Letters” has the same gently-swaying folky feel and Nat Johnson’s voice is as rich as ever (if not even more laconic). Once again, there’s a clear standout – single “Little Polveir” – but there are enough other quality tracks for the album to be worth your consideration.

They’re only a young band and they’re producing some amazing songs. The future looks bright and these guys may turn out to be the more enduring of the Sheffield monkey-themed bands.

Monkey Swallows the Universe – “Sheffield Shanty”

Monkey Swallows the Universe – “Little Polveir”