Melbourne singer-songwriter Dan Flynn has shed the Major Chord moniker behind and joined new outfit, the State of Things. They’ve just released a new album called Preparing for Flight.

From the opening number “Heavy Lies the Crown,” where he sings “Come walk with me,” Dan Flynn invites listeners into his world, and I followed gladly. I felt hypnotised by his rich soothing voice and the gentle acoustic guitars that anchored each song. I loved the organic arrangements, and fell for the way his voice harmonises with Meabh Friel. The gentle, folky sounds of this album were just what I needed to hear on this lazy Sunday.

But then I realised there was a little more going on that I’d first thought. While listening to sweet songs where Dan compares someone’s love to a “Blanket in the Snow” and creates beautiful mental images of “Sunny Autumn Weather,” it’s easy to miss the darker underbelly of much of Dan’s music. It’s not long before the sunny autumn weather turns stormy. “Apocalyptic Love Song” might sound as sweet and tender as any romantic ditty, but the end of days setting makes it very different from any other love song. “The State of Things” takes us out of our immediate frustrations to explore some of today’s most pressing social and environmental issues.

Preparing for Flight might sound on the surface like so much mellow folk music, but delve a little deeper and you’ll find songs which aren’t afraid to explore the shadows. It gets richer with each and every listen.

Preparing for Flight is available now from most digital outlets. If you’d prefer a physical copy, you can order yours through Dan Flynn’s Bandcamp page.

Image used with permission from Dan Flynn