Angus and Julia Stone by Angus and Julia Stone

The Australian soft-spoken brother and sister are back after their award-winning album Down the Way saw them reach number one in their home country. They’ve never quite managed the same success over here in the UK, which only adds to their whimsical, illusive charm.

It seems a three-year break has done them the world of good: this self-titled album is more subdued and understated. Opening on a much darker note with “I met your parents, they were lying about falling in love” is a far cry from their hit single Big Jet Plane. It’s as brooding as this folk duo is going to get though. There are still some happy “woos” and a piano, showing that if either of them were going through A Heartbreak, as the song is called, it would be more lemon sorbets and a yoga retreat rather than crying into a bottle of wine and sending drunk texts to your ex.

For this album they’ve recruited producer Rick Rubin who has polished their sound with electric guitars and sense of unity. Although it’s still very Angus and Julia, emotive and charming, it has lost a certain spark. In one sense they’ve gained the Hollywood gloss but it also means they’ve relinquished the raw stripped back feel that Down the Way had.

It’s interesting that this is the first album they’ve actually written songs together rather than as individuals. Perhaps they need to find their footing a bit better before they really pull it off. It’s still a good record, though, and will grow on you with time.

Samantha Waite

Angus and Julia Stone was released on 1^st August 2014, for further information or to order the album visit here.

Watch the video for A Heartbreak here: