Holly Throsby - Team

Thu 31st Mar, 2011 in Music Reviews

There’s a gentle melancholy to Holly Throsby’s Team. It’s written clearly in every part of the album, from the ache in the opening chords of What I Thought Of You to the more direct expression of longing in album closer When?. It’s an album defined by a deep sense of loss, but to call it a break-up album would be unfair. Throsby is too wise for self-flagellation or displays of anger; instead of looking back, she turns to the future with guarded optimism, to a time when she her wounds have healed and she can move on. In case the album’s understated tone doesn’t signal this clearly enough, her lyrics mark this as a reflection on relationships of rare maturity.

‘Mature’, a term usually used euphemistically, doesn’t have to mean dull, though. With the assistance of her remarkable backing band the Hello Tigers, Team glides easily from sparse laments to gorgeous string-laden numbers. Drummer Bree van Reyk is graceful and considered, her percussion adding a rustic, almost clockwork naïve charm to the record. Multi-instrumentalist Jens Birchall offers subtle but critical details, from the delicate mandolin on Hi! You Reckless Darling, to the cello’s golden tones in the background of Come Back to See Me. Both are invaluable, giving an added vitality to Throsby’s airy melodies. Equally critical is Tony Dupé’s production, which blends the wood-tones of acoustic instruments with Throsby’s velvety whisper to create a lush, intimate atmosphere.

For all the richness and delicate beauty of the arrangements, though, it is Throsby’s lyrics that form the album’s heart. It’s easy to be transported by the feathery texture of her voice, but her way with words is her true strength. It’s here that her maturity shines, in her ability to gain perspective in a time when most people are solipsistic at best. When she sings, “My one true love is waiting for me on the other side of all of this” ( Waiting for Me ), it resonates with a quiet strength, and an unwavering faith in love that is all the more uplifting for her circumstance. Even during When?, where her certainty is tested (“when will I see you and feel none of anything?”), she still works towards a time beyond this pain rather than let it dominate her. Throsby’s resilience is remarkable and inspiring, and only the hardest heart could listen without wanting unfettered happiness for her.

Relationships in all of their stages are everyday fodder for songwriters, but break-up albums are hard deals. They’re usually dumping grounds for bitterness and anger, for recriminations, accusations and outright tantrums. True, that doesn’t stop me listening to Blood on the Tracks; but it’s a rare delight to see such emotional insight and unshakable hope as Holly Throsby displays on Team. Her gentle wisdom, coupled with artful lyricism, make for a rare and powerful songwriter. I hope she finds the happiness she looks for: she deserves it.