Shearwater @ Captain's Rest, 15 Sep

Keen bird-spotter Jonathan Meiburg is more interesting than the anorak and binoculars stereotype suggests: he’s been a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist in Okkervil River since 1999, and is now concentrating full-time on ornithologically named side-project Shearwater, whose new record Rook is one of the most beguiling of the year so far. With his distinctively sharp crooning vocals and a real ear for creating space with careful production, Meiburg’s band has crafted a sumptuous melodrama that wavers between moments of despondency and beacons of hope. The sparse atmospherics have lead to many comparisons with latter-day Talk Talk, but Shearwater retain far more energy than Mark Hollis’ sleepy troupe. Rook is in fact their fifth album; after three tiny independent releases, their fourth album Palo Santo was picked up and re-released by Matador last year to much critical praise. Now Rook has become one of the most acclaimed albums of 2008, so it’ll be a real treat to see at the Captain’s Rest. [Ally Brown]

Read The Skinny's review of this Shearwater performance here.