Stornoway have boldly struck out and in doing so have navigated the often choppy waters of the second album with panache.
It’s still occasionally a bit too ‘nice’ for its own good, but in a cynical world, sometimes a little hope and buoyancy doesn’t go amiss.
'Tales From Terra Firma' offers a richer, fuller sound than the debut album and some tracks are tinged with an ever-so-gentle coating of sobriety and growing maturity but the important components of melody and subtlety are relatively unchanged.
A skilled, capable and talented band still unaware of how best to channel and control their creative energies.
It's like having a platter instead of a complete meal, when all you want is a full belly and a nap by a warm fire but instead you're picking at pieces and left not-quite satisfied.
They continue to be almost crushingly dull, making well-appointed and cheerfully empty music that successfully communicates next to nothing.