Chant Darling

The second album from Lawrence Arabia, aka New Zealander James Milne, seems entirely out of place on a frosty January release schedule, and not just because of the exotic stage name. It has all the sunny charm, and breezy ephemerality, of a late-August afternoon. As most of the songs prove, especially 'Apple Pie Bed', Milne can spin out catchy melodies without breaking a sweat. These delicate guitar-pop numbers infused with Sixties nostalgia and dashes of wry humour are agreeable, but they feel slight. When summer finally hits, there's a danger that Chant Darling will have fluttered away in the breeze.