Hollow Coves - Nothing To Lose (Nettwerk) 
Release Date: Out Now
If, like me, you're craving the lazy, sunny days of summer then you could a hell of a lot worse than strapping your ears around the new album from Australian duo Hollow Coves. 'Nothing To Lose' takes off with 'I'll Be Alright', an acoustic melody imbued with sunshine and the innocent promise of a Saturday morning when you're 12 and your mates are all ready to go on an adventure. 'Photographs' is a more upbeat tempo and is, perhaps, more radio friendly despite the lyrical theme of lamenting all the photos we take but never frame. The tempo moves up again on the scattered 'Harder To Fake It' complete with uplifting chorus before the title track, 'Nothing To Lose', settles in to the kind of acoustic strum that gets you ready to face the day, whatever the weather.
The lament of 'See You Soon' will bring a tear to the steeliest of eyes with its Passenger-esque vibe while 'Lets Go Around the World' is a beautiful daydream set to music, perfect for drifting away to. There's a simplicity, a purity and a sweetness to the music of Hollow Coves that feels untouched by the cynical hands of the music industry and that is something to be treasured for sure. Take 'On The Way', for example, which features an acoustic melody and warm, rich vocal harmonies but is also infused with a deep sense of emotion and specifically that feeling you get when you're about to leave home for a long trip.
'Milk and Honey' has that road trippin', radio friendly vibe that is hard to resist but 'Fact or Fiction' is a more introspective track with Coldplay-esque guitar lines lifting the acoustic strum up to a more positive place. We complete the album on 'Letting Go' which has a hint of Crowded House to it but is a genuinely beautiful song that perfectly tops off an album that will feature in my Spring/Summer listening from 2024 onwards. Blissful stuff.
More information: https://www.facebook.com/HollowCoves
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