Khancoban – Limbs May Fall
Limbs May Fall – Khancoban
by Aidan Roberts
This is the debut full-length record for Khancoban, another of Melbourne label Half A Cow’s friendly family of quietly creative musicians. This collection of songs written by frontman Andre Hooke softly works its way under your skin with the band’s wintery, pastelline guitar textures and Pete Cohen’s unique bowed double-bass and production work. Hooke’s fragile, meandering vocals weave through the music like a ghost, and although at times the tunes wander a little too far to be melodically satisfying, he gives us nonetheless an effective and emotional delivery of these sad, curious songs. The band approach their songs with a sense of space and tastefully under-played instrumentation, occasionally journeying from run-o-waters softness to noisy escalations such as in the captivating, dawn-soaked Balloon Sunrise. There’s a sense of the suburban life in the lyrics, which is a stronghold trademark of Melbourne outfits and certainly lends these cinematic songs a human warmth. Not a party record by any means, but a quietly intelligent one that will age well with repeat listens.
***1/2
