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Written by Glen Elkins Monday, 21 January 2008 03:01

The dense and meaningful lyrics make Weightless anything but, as he demonstrates his adept ability to join substantive words with catchy melodies.

The latest offering from indie singer-songwriter Dick Prall humbly carries itself through a sparsely decorated an upbeat, at times contemplative collection. Prall delivers a varied set of tunes, offering different moods with the catchy, devil-may-care "Halfway to Hollywood" or the closing ballad "Honore." These dissimilar styles are welcomed, as Prall's simple instrumentation could become somewhat tedious on any other record. The dense and meaningful lyrics make Weightless anything but, as he demonstrates his adept ability to join substantive words with catchy melodies.

Prall's vocals drift from carefully harmonized choruses to discordant yelps. His silky, Cat Stevens-esque voice floats over friendly guitar arpeggios during one of the more relaxing pieces, "Long Play." It settles the album in and establishes everything that's great about Weightless. Simple drums compliment a barrage of clever lyrics; which are softly spun and diligently produced.

If this song was a building, the violin solo would be its marquee, as it blindingly weaves in and out of verses, climaxing impressively at the songs' conclusion. It serves as the musical equivalent to Prall's voice: naturally pretty, and authentically unvarnished.

The album's single "The Cornflakes Song" is a deceivingly complex song about a relationship. Prall cleverly throws hints at the listener, and as these hints add up, they amount to a beautiful and genuine statement. The beauty in his writing is easily missed if you're not careful, but it's the perfect combination of musicianship and songwriting keeps you enthralled until the lyrical content seeps in. To say it another way: the beauty of the ocean eventually gets you wet.

There's not much to dislike about Dick Prall's recent release. If you're looking to cash in those pesky gift cards for well-written, catchy folk-pop, this is certainly the way to go. Weightless' unequivocally human warmth makes it the perfect tool for surviving this winter's bitter cold. B+| Glen Elkins

RIYL: Cat Stevens, Ben Harper