Pavey Ark, an alternative folk band from Hull, release their debut LP, Close Your Eyes and Think of Nothing. Fronted by singer and songwriter Neil Thomas, the band was formed in 2016...

Close Your Eyes and Think of Nothing consists of 11 songs (49 min, 35 sec) and breathes new life into an otherwise overcrowded genre. Indie albums have a tendency to sound very similar in their sub genres. Pavey Ark manage to add a twist of folk and deliver some refreshingly new ideas into the arena.

For example there's a little segment near the start of 'She's Already Flown' that is incredibly uplifting, but instead of repeating it as a chorus or verse, the song moves on shifting and changing as it goes. While it does revisit the tune, it's a little subtler. It was this song, more than any other that made Pavey Ark stand out from the countless new indie artists out there. This isn't about padding out the running time to release an album, it's obvious that they really care about what they're doing.

It's certainly an album you'll need to spend a bit of time with in order to appreciate the effort and layers that are hidden beneath the surface. But you'll discover that that is time well spent.

8

Nick Smithson