Any release by the Doghouse Roses is welcome. Paul Tasker and Iona Macdonald are, after all, purveyors of classy modern folk music. Their best songs are reflective, at times urbane and are always presented in a warm and quintessentially discrete manner.
So this is their new single. "Greener the Grass" takes up the"A" side and it is a most soothing concoction for your ears. Iona Macdonald's voice is as entrancing as always but the production this time is far more polished than their previous releases. It's a rather wistful song, of course, but none the worse for that. The arrangement is tasteful too but there is that vital spark of imagination present there that keeps your attention. Instruments fade in and out almost as if they were dancing around those exquisite vocals in much the same way as flames in an open fire do. Really rather good!
On the "B" side (ah, if only it were on vinyl…) is "Years" and this is rather more conventional folk song. That means you could possibly wearing an Aran sweater whilst listening to this and not feel out of place. A perfectly decent song and performance but it probably deserves it place as the number two song.
As we grow up and mature so do our tastes, or at least they should anyway. No longer is supermarket plonk adequate and the visits to your more upmarket wine emporiums become more frequent as we seek something special that will satisfy our palate. So this release is like an expensive bottle of wine. You have to have developed your tastes to a sufficient level to appreciate it and when you have you will find it so very satisfying. In other words, we liked these songs.