written by Chris Familton

Vetiver is a native grass of India that is unique in that its roots grow down rather than spreading horizontally. Vetiver is a perfume created in 1956 by Gerlain. Vetiver is a folk group that invokes images of both nature and beauty.

On this, his first release on the Sub Pop label, Vetiver’s Andy Cabic has taken no great risks but he has consolidated his sound, tidied it up and fine tuned it. Cabic is the soul of Vetiver having formed the band as its primary songwriter before releasing their debut album in 2004. Along the way he has collaborated with such people as Hope Sandoval (Mazzy Star) and Joanna Newsom and produced three tender and moving albums including last year’s fantastic Thing Of The Past collection of covers.

Perhaps Cabic is best known outside Vetiver as friend and musical partner to Devendra Banhart. He co-produced his Cripple Crow album and has written and performed with him on many occasions. Though not making an appearance on Tight Knit, Banhart’s influence is strong on a number of the folkier tracks like the opener ‘Rolling Sea’ with its acoustic vibe and lilting vocals conjuring up images of lazy Californian afternoons.

One new theme that Vetiver has taken and elaborated on from Thing Of The Past is the gentle soul and funk that comes to the fore on ‘Another Reason To Go’. It is a more muscular sound with its punchy bass, horns and Stax-like guitar licks. Cabic deploys his doe eyed vocals over the top which ties the song into the rest of the album and ensures it doesn’t stand out as an anomaly. It is one of the highlights in the way it raises the heart rate and breathes some extra air into the overall feel of the record.

There are other moods which are displayed throughout the album with equal aplomb. Jaunty excursions into pretty pop on ‘Everyday’ and in particular ‘More Of This’ with its English overtones that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Dexy’s Midnight Runners or Style Council LP. English influences appear in other songs and it is clear when listening to ‘At Forest Edge’ and ‘Down From Above’ that Cabic has a penchant for Nick Drake and 60s pastoral folk.

Cabic’s voice has grown in confidence over the life of Vetiver and it now includes a rich soul flavour that wasn’t apparent in his folkier mumblings of earlier efforts. It is hard to tell if this change has come as a result of the evolution of his songwriting or whether his  stronger singing has led to the bolder musicality. His voice is well complimented by the tight bass playing of Brent Dunn as it provides a punch beneath Cabic’s wandering words.

Tight Knit is the perfect title for this album as Vetiver have produced a collection of songs that carry no extra fat nor employ superfluous instrumentation. It is a tight and economical release with deep roots and influences that builds on their preceding records and takes their sound in a much more concise direction. Repeated listens unlock irresistible hooks and sweet melodies that are perfectly suited to laying in long grass, lazing in the late summer haze.