What a blessed voice lead songstress Cherilyn has, encased in this little album of international quality.

‘Replace why with funny’ is indeed an odd name for an album, and yet so is the name of the duo who call themselves Dear Reader Р as if addressing someone or acknowledging the listener as an engaged participant! You might not recognise the name at first, ‘cos this SA group used to go by the name of Harris Tweed.

While some music is made to be mere ambience, other is story set to sound. Dear Reader does just that - telling stories across landscapes of mythical creatures and embellished emotion. From moving on after an ex and the blessings learnt and lessons taken, to an upbringing as a child so different to the cultural majority of South Africa, the songs are each loaded with meaning.

‘Dear Heart’, ‘Bend’ and ‘The Same’ are firm favourites. Thank heavens this is a CD and not a cassette, as this would be one very stretched tape in my collection if so!

With the almost unfair advantage of the duo containing once of SA’s finest producers, Darryl Torr, it is this effortless output of quality that has success synergised into its arrangement as if an instrument itself alongside the keys and array of drums.

Dear Reader will be in Europe over the summer, playing Lattitude Festival and the Secret Garden Party in July.