Album Review: Burnt Island

The nu-folk sound of this Glasgow band with a name from Fife refreshes the parts that wistful indie does not normally reach. Formed by writer Rodge Glass and his associate Malcolm Jack, Burnt Island are charmingly literate on this six-song debut.

The title song undulates with subtle melody, sitting gently with the mildly more robust Me And All Of My Friends Are Alright, which stands comparison with the work of Stephen Fretwell. Rik Evans's chilly viola gives Man On Fire an edge, and Glass's gift for wrapping mystery in an enigma is declared early in the opening A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again.

Download this: Man On Fire

This article was first published in Scotland on Sunday, March 14, 2010