Khancoban
Khancoban
Half A Cow


Normally, the artist biographies that accompany press copies of CDs are a striking combination of useless tautology and pretentious twaddle, often proselytising about their subject's 'uniqueness' (which is, by definition, entirely true, and yet in most cases not practically true at all). However, when Half A Cow records tells us that it felt the same way about releasing a record by Khancoban as it did in the past by Crow and Art Of Fighting, it's safe to get genuinely very excited.

For the most part, 'Khancoban' lives up to this high praise. First track These Lines Can Be Traced is a slow waltz with an Augie March feel to it, particularly in its endearingly shy Glenn Richards-esque vocal. I Wish I Was On A Plane Somewhere adds more earthiness, leading into one of the most genuinely unique choruses I've ever heard in my entire life. No, seriously - its repeated refrain, "On and on, on and on..." is backed by the most alluring harmonies and unexpected key changes I've heard since Grand Salvo's 'The Temporal Wheel'. A sparse arrangement accompanies an engaging melody with Smoke And The Light, before the record takes a polite folk turn with Everywhere I See The Sea. A haunting piano grips Little Lights, Little Rows, before a banjo chuckles a little at Take Me Where I Might Want To Go. And sure, the mini-album ends with five minutes' worth of feedback and studio noise, but that really just serves to give the listener a little breather, right?

Khancoban's debut mini-album is full of amazing ideas and unrestrained promise. With a little more time, and perhaps a little higher fidelity, their debut full-length could just be truly amazing.

Ben Revi