Pascal Barbare
Thunderclap Spring
(Blackmaps; 2009)
7.5/10
Thunderclap Spring, the debut album from Australian born singer-songwriter Pascal Babare, is a promising display of potential from an artist that is only 19 years old. Not only has Babare put together an album of original material, he also recorded a bold cover of Joy Division’s “Ceremony.”
It’s rare that a cover can stand up to the original. But Babare handles Ian Curtis and Joy Division with grace, managing to play a respectable homage.
Barbare’s original material is a mixture of gentle acoustic strumming with hushed whispered vocals (“Elsie, We Are Vikings”) and a collection of serene ambient tunes that are simply beautiful (“Sweet Bees, Brother Bear”).
Thunderclap Spring comes together from start to end as a focused debut that never once drops the stunning beat. The album is a bit lengthy at 13 tracks, but as Babare matures he’s likely to tighten his already impressive style.
Trial Track: “Elsie, We Are Vikings”
