Fair Maiden

Australian quartet Fair Maiden formed in 2008 and took their sweet time writing and recording the eight songs that would eventually make up their self-titled 2014 debut full-length. Though relatively brief in duration, the eight songs here manage to run a strange and disparate spectrum, including songs that reside in some strangely medieval courtliness, some that recall sunny '60s pop, and even a few nods to old-timey country-rock. The album begins with the droning, mysterious "India," a short and moody tune based around a growing modal melody and spare percussion. The darkness that starts the record soon melts into the acoustic guitars and singsongy vocals of "Lord" and the downright happy country-pop of "Wait for You." Things change song by song for much of the album, with choral vocals and one-note riffs making up the gothic "Sad Song" just moments before retro-modeled late-night strollers like "Blue Moon" and "Darlin."