Jay Clarkson and the Containers: Falling Through (Zelle/digital outlets)

Christchurch's Jay Clarkson has had a music career which dates back more than four decades, but it has been intermittent as she juggled other interests: a personal life, a literary career as a poetry and fiction writer, writing her memoir, ill-health . . .

With her band of excellent and well-known musicians – keyboard player Alan Haig, drummer Mike Dooley and bassist Tenzin Mullin – here she returns to the music, although the poet is also evident in the second half.

But the first two five-minute songs, Within Your Step and the title track, are proof that the band and Clarkson have mastered the art of repeated, almost minimalist chord sequences in the manner of the most sophisticated post-punk bands (Television, Joy Division, early Chills) to provide a rolling and moody backdrop behind Clarkson's mesmerising vocals.

Falling Through

Taken together these two pieces conjure up hypnotic, atmospheric desolation and Point to the Sky turns down the colour palette even further on a moody and mysterious piece of unease and menace: “Hard for the child to run straight out of town, to fly on the wind, to jump from the world, to risk anything . . .”

This is where early Flying Nun went when it became adult and was confronted by the reality of maturity and, in Clarkson's case, successfully marry ambition with poetry, as here on the wonderful folk-rock You Go, You Go where she bends and weaves her vocal lines like Joni Mitchell.

There is also lovely pop here, notably the expansive ballad 1000 Hours which is, like those two openers, more about tension than release and guitars send it soaring into the realm of epic indie.rock.

Just glorious.

As she sings on Flying Way Too High, “I'm way too high to ever be allowed”

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You can hear and buy this album at bandcamp here