When the duo of Nicol & Elliott stepped out with their debuting My Heart Will Wait, I claimed that they were “one of the most notable newcomers to the Scottish americana/country sphere”. They proved it then, they proved it again with The Storm, and now the third time’s the charm in a big way with Broken Eyes.

The title tune immediately seals the deal with it’s immensely infectious, grooving blues feel where the guitar chords are naturally cool and the strings just blend in seamlessly. The buzz continues along with Fade Away, which has a plucky, toe-tapping tempo, a bright, flowing melody, and fantastically engaged vocals.

Hard To Breathe is a little bit more reeled back but still just as wistful, with the instrumental performances and the writing checking off real nicely, and the smashing Going Down takes us home with a strong and memorable chorus on hand.

The initial two records from Nicol & Elliott, I really enjoyed, but in the case of Broken Eyes, this is the first of their releases which I can confidently say that I adore from top to bottom, where every song just fits tightly into piece and impresses with various qualities. The self-proclaimed folk-noir pair just keep getting better and better, and I’d like to think a full-length album is next on the horizon…