Tom Lark: Moonlight Motel (digital outlets)

Two years ago it was Tom Lark's time: the debut album Brave Star under the Lark name -- he also works as Shannon Fowler and Shannon Matthew Vanya  -- was in our best of year picks, earned him a Silver Scroll nomination and the album was a Taite Prize finalist for the Auckland singer, songwriter and producer.

It was crafted collection of slightlydelic dream pop with intelligent lyrics and a feel for the Pacific. In our review we mentioned Neil Finn, bottled-up summertime, breezy yacht-rock and late-period Lennon ballads.

This follow-up allegedly links his family leaving Murchison after the 1929 earthquake to more recent events in Ōtautahi Christchurch.

That sounds like a misdirection because it's not obvious.

There's an electro-folksy chime about the vagaries of Dumb Luck (“I've seen dumb luck come and go, then come back with a golden glow”), the chugging Rock & Roll Baby which suggests making the best of things when that luck doesn't favour you and the stalking Ballad of the Barry Boys.

If there's a theme – picked up in Dive On In and Busy Living, and the charming Love – it's about taking a chance, being optimistic and accepting what fate deals.

The adjective here might be “cruisy” or even “mellow” because, aside from the naggingly catchy Fuselage – this is laidback, melodic folk-pop taking itself and life at a slow pace.

Moonlight Hotel doesn't have the immediate charms and diversity of Brave Star but as a mood piece it should be a slow grower for the patient.

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You can hear and buy this album at bandcamp here