Australian folk band The Paper Kites have returned with their 7th studio album If You Go There, I Hope You Find It, their first project since 2023. The album continues the ascent in production quality witnessed on its predecessor At the Roadhouse while returning to the band’s folk roots. The record seamlessly blends acoustic instrumentals with creative production techniques and solidifies their position on the cutting edge of the folk-rock subgenre.
The opening track, ‘Morning Gum,’ effectively familiarises us with the album’s sonic palette — delicate yet simple acoustic instrumentals glued together by distinctly a warm-sounding production. Although parts of the song admittedly felt slow to my ears, in the context of the album that unfolds beyond it, it provides an effective jumping-off point for a project centred around the acceptance of gradual personal development.
A moment where the album really came into its own was ‘When The Lavender Blooms,’ which subtly slips in the rhythm section, ensuring the evolution of the album’s sonic layers while uplifting, rather than oversaturating, the song itself. Additionally, ‘When The Lavender Blooms’ lyrically explores — through the metaphor of a blooming lavender flower — the practice of surrendering yourself to emotional growth, while accepting its non-linear nature. I was struck by how well this mirrors our interdependency with the natural world; as spring begins to reveal itself through natural processes of growth, it inspires within us a desire to grow and flourish with it.
At the album’s halfway point, ‘Shake Off The Rain’ expands upon these reflections, taking a more overtly conversational approach to its lyrics, with Sam Bentley’s mellow and well-phrased lead vocals effectively complementing Christina Lacy’s subtle, well-placed harmonies. The electric guitar on this track has a very interesting scratchy texture to it, maintaining the imperfect yet warm sound that runs through the album.
As the pacing begins to dip, the layers are again stripped back and the repetition of ‘Borne By You’ crystallises the revelation of the album: the importance of accepting our vulnerability and interconnectedness with loved ones in the process of making room for growth. This is a sentiment echoed in the song’s production, polarising the stereo placement of the banjo and acoustic guitar. Closing out the album with each instrument existing respectively whilst also seamlessly blending together echoes the songs themselves. This, all in all, makes for an emotionally profound record.
“The Paper Kites 2012” by Thepaperkites is licensed under CC BY 3.0.
