Folk is becoming increasingly the only thing to listen to, it seems - we blame mobile phone adverts. Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly - as well as having a gift for naming bands, clearly, which should have been enough elevate him to Hall Of Fame status even if he'd never got round to releasing an album - is a young man from Southend who marries elements of folkiness with a pop and dance music slant. As a result, his songs are very melodic and layered and lovely, but rely on the kind of production techniques, found sounds and melding influences that we're used to in the less obviously influential genres.

An Oak Tree, for example, rather than being the hey-nonny-nonny style country dance you'd expect, teams up a nifty little Nouvelle Vague beat with some heartfelt acoustic guitar strumming and handclaps, and will certainly get you skipping round your kitchen. The album's title track is a jaunty drum and bass excursion, immediately calmed down by almost solely acoustic numbers like Lighthouse Keeper, and while the song Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly itself is marred by the kind of excessive sentiment and heartfelt instrumentation which veers a little too closely to Nizlopi for our liking, there's enough innovation here to keep it out of schmaltz. And, above all, the kid can really play.

Rating:
Released: 18th September 2006
Label: Atlantic