Pine: Long Player

By RUSSELL BAILLIE

(Herald rating: * * * * )

"Meet me in the sunroom" Christchurch's Pine sing wistfully on the final song of this, their debut album.

It's an invitation that's hard to refuse, given Pine's quietly engrossing collection of dreamy tunes, hushed harmonies, thoughtfully strummed and jangled guitars, gently splashed drums and occasional keyboards which turn this into one sweet, hazy pop mood.

The sound from the trio of Stephen McCarthy and Hannah and Aaron Beehre suggests they're part of a Canterbury pop lineage extending back to the Bats via Stereobus. The 13 songs also have echoes of Brits such as the Stone Roses (on the gently pastoral Had One and Days on End) or Belle and Sebastian (especially on the gently hypnotic Sugar and the hushed folk-pop of Lazy Tracey).

Assembled with a craft and restraint that reveals its details on repeat listens, Long Player soon becomes one of those albums best experienced from the comforts of your favourite couch. Yes, they put the Pine in supine. Horizontally recommended.

Label: Arch Hill