Tiny Ruins - Brightly Painted One Album Review
Tiny Ruins is the creation of New Zealand musician and songwriter Hollie Fullbrook. It all began when she started writing music for theatre productions through-out Wellington and playing live music at poetry nights.
Her album Brightly Painted One, I believe shows her background in song writing. Being able to capture emotions and express it through lyrics and melodies. Her songs are capsules of storytelling that are calming and pleasurable to listen too. Her soft voice takes us on a journey that has an enchanted aspect to it. While listening to this album I felt like I was part of a magical journey and I congratulate her on making music that creates wonderful imagery for its listener.
Highlights from the album were Me At The Museum You At The Wintergardens, Carriages and She’ll Be Coming Round.
Me At The Muesum You At The Wintergardens is a love song. It tells of a dreamlike place where love is found and is told over a wonderful guitar picked melody. The Wintergardens is pictured clearly, with it being a place where lovers can meet and enjoy the wonders that the garden has. The museum is depicted as this magical place were people do not grow old and is told over lovely harmonies that add more technical aspects to the song.
The second song Carriages has a wonderful beginning, deep guitar strings being plucked and a higher pitched melody under the lyrics of the song. The chorus had me humming along and it is a beautiful sounding song that Tiny Ruins should be absolutely chuffed with.
She’ll Be Coming Round is a more sombre song that is shown in the slow plucking pace of the guitar and the pauses between each sentence of lyrics, making you think about each sentence of the song and the story behind it. Again, a wonderful example of imagery with a women riding on a horse to her destination, “Hooves are bounding across the fields, Her body is a river flowing, She’ll be coming round”. A beautifully constructed song that is my favourite on this lovely sounding album.
Tiny Ruins is an artists that uses simplicity to her advantage. She knows her sound and how to construct individual pieces of art that show a vivid story taking listeners on a wonderful listening experience.
I do think her song writing could be taken on to the next stage. Producing more diverse creative themes throughout. By taking this slight risk it may be a great benefit to her future.
However, if you want an album with beautiful guitar melodies and that’s been created with time and care, then this is the one for you.
View Track Listing
About Tiny Ruins
Fullbrook was born in Bristol, England, before moving to New Zealand with her family at the age of ten and settling in West Auckland. She learnt the cello from a young age, picking the guitar up and writing songs in her early teenage years. Asked to support Alasdair Roberts in Sydney, May 2010, she was signed to Australian indie label Spunk Records on the strength of some demos. Tiny Ruins’ debut Some Were Meant For Sea was released in 2011 and saw critical praise for its minimalist approach & lyrical flair. Recorded by Fullbrook and producer Greg ‘J’ Walker (Machine Translations) in a small hall in South Gippsland, the album was voted 2011’s Album of the Year by BBC World Service arts & culture programme ‘World of Music’ and was a finalist for New Zealand’s Taite Prize in 2012. Tours of New Zealand, Australia & Europe followed, with Fullbrook performing solo, and later as a duo with Cass Basil on upright bass, supporting The Handsome Family throughout the UK.
Joining forces with drummer Alex Freer, Tiny Ruins evolved into a three-piece, recording a bluesy EP, Haunts, together in the Waipu bush, before working with Tom Healy at The Lab in Auckland on their second album, Brightly Painted One. Championed by the New York Times, NPR and David Lynch, it won Best Alternative Album at the New Zealand Music Awards in 2014, and saw a joint release by labels Bella Union, Spunk Records and Flying Nun.
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Tiny Ruins
Releases
Other Reviews By Ria Loveder
Gig Review: L.A.B. @ Black Barn, Hawke's Bay - 22/12/2019
11 Jan 2020 // by Ria Loveder
The weather leading to Sunday 22nd of December was unreliably sprinkled with a little bit of unpredictability. Luckily for the people that flocked to the gorgeous Black Barn Amphitheatre in the Hawke’s Bay to the sold-out L.
Read More...
Jessy & The Volunteers - Single Review: Phone Face
06 Aug 2019 // by Ria Loveder
For lovers of blues, funk and everything else in between, you have found yourself in the right place. Created and grown into a sexy meld of soul and RnB in a basement in Auckland, Jessy & The Volunteers’ have debuted their song and video Phone Face.
Read More...
Annie J - Single Review: Whenever You Leave Me
31 Mar 2019 // by Ria Loveder
Annie J’s song Whenever You Leave Me is one that all teenagers can relate to; that relationship that you want to be in, but distance seems to come creeping in. The lyrics are mature beyond her years and at the young age of 15; she’s showing that she has the writing capabilities to produce mature, insightful music.
Read More...
Two Cartoons - Single Review: Less People (Less Traffic)
29 Oct 2018 // by Ria Loveder
Back in 2015 I reviewed Two Cartoons EP Lost Boys Club and raved about how they seem to so effortlessly create tunes that need to be sung loud and proud. Three years later, their latest single Less People (Less Traffic) is no exception.
Read More...
Nicole Andrews - Album Review: A Stranger
04 May 2018 // by Ria Loveder
In 2015 I reviewed Nicole Andrews’ album In The Shallows and raved about her rawness and connection with her music. Needless to say, her second album A Stranger has done it again.
Read More...
nomad - Album Review: Can You Feel It?
13 Apr 2018 // by Ria Loveder
nomad soared into popularity with their catchy infectious pop tune Oh My My in 2016. After their song reached gold sales and they were nominated for Best Newcomers at the NZ Music Awards they are back with their debut album Can You Feel It?
Read More...
Ha the Unclear - Single Review: Wallace Line
08 Apr 2018 // by Ria Loveder
My music taste over the past year has changed a wee bit, and I am loving music that harks back to the 80's, and Ha the Unclear do just that. Their eccentric sound is filled with unconventional retro alt-pop music making them the perfect backing track to the New Zealand summer, pity we have just come into Autumn!
Read More...
Tom Lee-Richards - Single Review: Out Of The Oddness
20 Feb 2018 // by Ria Loveder
An experimenter of music from a young age, Tom Lee-Richards' passion for songs and composition is evident in his array of work. His latest single Out Of The Oddness has dropped and it is one track I recommend you listen to.
Read More...
Most Viewed Artists
Latest Galleries
NZ Top 10 Singles
- TOO SWEET
Hozier - BEAUTIFUL THINGS
Benson Boone - LOSE CONTROL
Teddy Swims - LIKE THAT
Future And Metro Boomin feat. Kendrick Lamar - END OF BEGINNING
Djo - I LIKE THE WAY YOU KISS ME
Artemas - WE CAN'T BE FRIENDS (WAIT FOR YOUR LOVE)
Ariana Grande - STICK SEASON
Noah Kahan - TEXAS HOLD 'EM
Beyonce - LEAVEMEALONE
Fred Again.. And Baby Keem
More Content on muzic.net.nz
Google Site Search
100% New Zealand Music
All content on this website is copyright to muzic.net.nz and other respective rights holders. Redistribution of any material presented here without permission is prohibited.
Report A Problem
