Terrible Sons: The Raft is Not the Shore (digital outlets)

Behind the somewhat misleading band name is a measured folk duo from Ōtautahi Christchurch whose 2018 Half Awake, Half Asleep EP sprung the unexpected hit Tears Don't Fall, clocking almost 21 million Spotify streams.

Gentle, philosophical and steeped in natural imagery, this debut album is better understood by its title referencing the difference between perception and reality, location and destination.

The reassuring mood here includes Birdsong (“water in the bay is slow and steady, the tussock on the hills gracefully bending”), Sunset Swimming (“where all my years collapse into a minute”) and Easy Love (“I found love, not where I knew . . . I got peace, if only for you”).

Tomorrow Always Comes says, “the more I know, the less I understand. But don’t worry . . . tomorrow, always comes”.

Terrible Sons are husband and wife Matt and Lauren Barus who craft folk with strings and subtle electric guitar, nudging towards airy baroque-folk on Asperatus, named for the strange cloud formation: “There's no rage in the wind, just turbulence, my love”.

Lauren, better known as L.A. Mitchell, was long listed for the 2021 Silver Scroll (When It's All Too Much), made regular guest appearances (Fly My Pretties, Sola Rosa) and with Matt was in pop-rockers the Dukes who had two albums and a 2009 top 10 single Vampires (also Silver Scroll nominated).

Those diverse experience mean alongside elegant folk there's smart pop (You Can Choose,Tomorrow Always Comes) and weightless dream-folk (Yelling in the Wilderness) within this self-described music “for day-dreamers, cloud watchers and sad song enthusiasts”.

Produced by Tom Healy (Tiny Ruins, Marlon Williams), this impressive album shows thoughtful consideration of hard life (Hold Your Light High) and soft love without suffocating sentimentality.

.

You can hear and buy this album at bandcamp here.