Dominic Waxing Lyrical, a band centred on songwriter, performance artist and musician Dominic Harris, first appeared on the UK indie music scene in 1994. The debut, self-titled album was released in 1996, but it wasn’t until the 2010s that the next two albums, Woodland Casual and Rural Tonic would appear. Finally we have album number four. As a long time admirer, it’s worth the wait.
Though hailing from Edinburgh, this album was recorded pre-pandemic. In his own words: ‘It was recorded a long way from the sea, deep in the Bible Belt of America. An abandoned cement factory loomed over an abandoned carpark in this snowy empty world in which Ricky White and I wrote and recorded – miles from the soaring towers and glittering shop fronts of metropolitan high streets across coastal America. Here the snow settled and the rivers froze.‘ Even if you’ve never heard a note of DWL’s music, this juxtaposition of worlds and words is a fantastic insight into what you might find within.
Then back in the UK, Robert McFall (of Mr McFall’s Chamber) scored the music for the string quartet. Strings, percussion and bass were duly added to the mix. Ricky White (Oi Polloi and Kling Klang) helped write and produce Diminuet which has a winter theme, as opposed to being a concept album. Harris is a strong songwriter, and this is an album that requires your attention in order to reap the rewards. The orchestral flourishes are more than simply a cherry on the top, they are an integral part of the whole album experience.
It is most definitely not background music – which may not sit well with those seeking instant gratification. This is completely their loss! The reality is that Harris is a gifted and unique songwriter, and you won’t find many others like him. The band’s music and performances incorporate influences from The Go-Betweens, The Violent Femmes, The Leisure Society, Schubert and medieval poetry. Years ago, Melody Maker described him as ‘DIY-baroque-folk.’ But seriously, while it can be fun to try and pin down the bits you hear, it’s actually better just to try and grab what you’re presented with, even if this can be a challenge. The two opening tracks ‘Girandole‘ and ‘Rock Pool‘ are particularly beautiful, and unusually for most music, appear to be in 3/4 time (i.e. waltz time, rather than the more conventional 4/4 time found with most rock music. You are presented with wonderful poems that provide exciting little entries into little worlds that seem simultaneously bewitching, dreamlike and the potential to be scary (think The Box Of Delights, rather than, say Stephen King), particularly on the sometimes poetic, other times jarring ‘Prague/Dear Amjad.’
You may need to spend time with this album, but repeated listens will reap rewards. 41 minutes where it seems scarcely a second is wasted. With winter upon us, I may just shut myself away in a darkened room, close my eyes and listen to this on repeat…and if no-one will buy me this for Christmas, I’d be very happy to buy this for myself.
