When is a super group not a super group? When you haven’t heard of any of the members. Led by one Rhob Cunningham, Our Little Secrets includes the musicianship of Villagers’ Cormac Curran and Jape’s Ross Turner. There’s also a guest appearances by Cathy Davey and Lisa Hannigan, the latter returning a favour as Rhob contributed to her Mercury and Choice-nominated Sea Sew album. And it’s also been mixed by Gavin Glass and mastered in Liam Clancy’s studio. Why did nobody invite Glen Hansard?
Through it all, Cunningham remains the star of this show. His voice carries an irresistible creak, reminiscent of a countrified Bon Iver or a gruffer Nick Drake. Breathless anthem ‘Daylight’ sets Cunningham up as a hopeful romantic while his laidback wit sounds best on ‘Naturesway’ (see heartbreak moment “How I love your modern soul/ It helps to help me keep control”). Further highlights include th dreamy single ‘Good Or Bad Thing’ and the primal ‘Salomen Fell’.
Cunningham himself puts it best when he croons: “There’s a secret we haven’t told/ Keeping it had seemed the way to go/ The more I bite my lip, the more it grows.” If you get to hear this record, one thing’s for sure – you won’t want to keep it a secret for long