Tiny Vipers is the stage name of Jesy Fortino, signed to Sub Pop. Folk would be the best way to describe the music contained within Life on Earth, but really the music transgresses folk, taking the ideas of an intimate, sparse record to the furthest point. Life on Earth consists of Fortino and her acoustic guitar, apart from a brief interlude in 'Time Takes' where a slightly different, if no less intimate, effect is used. Fortino’s guitar playing is intricate, at points almost withering away, the music lacks real texture and forceful emotion because of this, but is not worse off for it. Strong feelings of loneliness, isolation and melancholy are transgressed through Fortino’s playing, and the music becomes effecting, and at times (especially on tracks such as ‘Dreamer’) is beautiful.Fortino’s voice helps this, reminiscent of the soothing, emotive voices of singers such as Joanna Newsom. Fortino transmits the emotion of her songs to the listener perfectly, her voice rising above the quiet guitar so that it stands out amongst the wilderness. The albums title, Life on Earth ironically plays to this, being a reference to a lyric in the title track: “Don't look back towards me/ I'm as empty as the sea/ Back before there was life on earth”, and it fits perfectly. Fortino makes you feel as if there is only you and her left on earth. There is so much, at times even too much, space in the record, large sections of music are simply guitar helping along the feelings of isolation and desolation that the record is intended to produce, and adding more effect when Fortino graces us with her voice.Unfortunately it’s main attribute is this album’s greatest weakness, with so much space and lack of real substance on the album, at times it fails to fully grasp the attention of the listener. Life on Earth is relaxing, and is enjoyable, but stretching to an hour in length, one’s attention begins to wane towards the end. Songs tend to merge together, and the album seems dreamy and relaxes the listener perfectly, and at times threatens to absorb the listener fully, but it often fails to fully grasp concentration. There are too many sections without vocals, or simply with humming, it is during these (although they are perhaps important to the overall atmosphere of the album), that Fortino loses her listener. The final two tracks, with their longer instrumental sections, almost seem like a chore to get through. If Fortino lyrics were truly exceptional, this could be prevented, but despite some shows of strength, they fail to have the required impact.Life on Earth, is at its best (on stand out track 'Dreamer', for example) excellent. A truly absorbing and effecting album, yet still enjoyable as a whole in the background, creating an instant atmosphere through Fortino’s guitar playing and vocals. The album however suffers from being too long and simply being too sparse, and thus fails to grab the attention it could have deserved. 71%Tiny Vipers on MySpace