I knew after hearing the teasers that this album would be winging its way across the pond in my direction... This reviewer remembers having his head turned by the acoustic music that accompanied children's TV in the seventies, so it was a joy to hear that memory evoked. But on the strength of this offering, Kevin Hume is more than a one trick pony. Other strands that make up this extraordinary tapestry include string arrangements reminescent of This Mortal Coil circa 'Blood', the pop sensibilities of Belle And Sebastian not to mention a fine ear for the nuances of more traditional fayre. The arrangements, intricate as they are, never overwhelm or convolute the individual pieces hence never losing the listener. This is gorgeous, evocative stuff, a beam of light in the dark days of popidolageddon...

With immediately quaint and beautiful fleshed-out orchestral textures, this bite of succulent, lemony chamber-feeling folky pop is unbelievably satiating, particularly for fans of neo-70s folk. Kevin Hume unifies that kind of classic retro folk sound which one might liken to the Beatles and Simon and Garfunkle with close-up vocals and complex harmonic textures containing no imaginative limit; using everything from classical harp to strings to woodwinds and organ along with standard folk setups, his songwriting genius is a kaleidoscope of shapes and colors and imagery. The Truth About Ants and Aphids is a feast for the mind and ears, vividly painting playful, abstract and distinct pictures and stories, conjuring similar feelings one might experience while contemplating the work of Spanish painter, Salvador Dali. The use of instrumental color and voice, throughout this 12-track gem, is one of exquisite fantasy, yet held together and structured within a singer/songwriter skeleton. Put in simplest terms, this album manages to keep the ears awake and interested for the full duration of the journey; it’s not so much because of the surprises and creative choices (although those certainly don’t hurt) but rather, is based on an inherent feeling of freshness, vitality and zest for those fleeting moments in life worth capturing and freeing.