TUMBLER
You Said
(self-released)

Richard Grace, Dave Needham, Harry Grace make up TUMBLER. Hailing from the UK, this folk pop trio creates some wonderfully acoustic, rich tunes on their new album, You Said. “Moments (She Reappears)” begins, a low and slow, with a hand patting on the side of a guitar percussion bed and harmony vocals in a slippery chorus. A wailing, electric lead fits perfectly as this well-realized, full production gets going. “Businessman Blues” is a straight-ahead, medium-tempo blues strut showing off spiky guitars and fun, growly vocals, while “Sleepy Bananas Are Cool,” with its trilling and trickling acoustic guitar interplay, is a pretty ballad for a child. This tune and the dexterous acoustic playing on “Bueller” really showcases the TUMBLER acoustic guitar prowess, with “Bueller” featuring some lilting fine vocals in another great full production. “Break or Fall” has tight guitars and a truly dramatic love-lost chorus (it is one of my faves here) and “Call Me Sentimental” showcases different lead vocals (and rich full harmonies once again) in a swing beat-like re-imaging of an old fashioned vibe. “Dead Man’s Bones” is pure country with banjo featured, a sly back beat and the “dead” narrator telling his story, while “Flowers and Miracles” is a love song set around a walking acoustic, wry yet soft vocals and harmonica that really sets off at full plodding speed, with schunking snare, plopping bass and dramatic “ahhs”; this one is a big fun shanty. “Rowan Tree,” featuring another perfectly-played acoustic part and duet delicious harmonies in its pretty chorus ends You Said on an angelic note.