Hmm, I’m not sure what I can tell you about this, in terms of recommending a purchase. It is part of the Picket Fence series, released on a monthly basis by Toad favourites, Fence Records. You have to subscribe to Picket Fence which costs you 50 sheckles so I don’t know, it’s a bit of a risk and might just be for the musical adventurers and those bent on supporting independent music – ie fucking all of you, obviously, I should bloody well hope! Either way, you pay your cash and you get what you’re given, so it’s a leap of faith and given the rather eclectic nature of the Fence fellows it can be a bit of a lottery.

Art Pedro (myspace here) released February’s Picket Fence this year and it’s one of the brilliant ones. A little odd, perhaps, but really good. Beats and a constant electric hum fade in and out of gently plucked guitar and rolling piano which creates a lovely atmosphere – it’s entirely unsurprising to hear he’s living in Cornwall at the moment. There’s loads more going here as well – toy town honky-tonk in Joanne, for example, and a gorgeous piano track called Sommeil Noir Froid.

The most striking, and potentially off-putting if it’s not for you, aspect to the music is the vocal performance. I don’t know if Art Pedro can’t sing, or if he just doesn’t. Either way, there’s no hiding it with a poor vocal performance, instead he makes a virtue of it and almost talks his way through the songs, the rhythm of the vocal and the music seeming to part company entirely from time to time, but they always come back together again. I think it’s superb, but it is a bit unusual, so just be warned.

If the vocal is for you, then the real beauty of this album is its variety – from playful to warm to wistful to introspective and all brought down to earth with a rather heartbreaking thump in the gorgeous closer You’re a Twat.

Things like this little 10-song gem are why I subscribe to the Picket Fence series .

Art Pedro – All I Want
Art Pedro – Joanne