Tag: folk

Categories
Acoustic Album/EP Reviews Folk Music

Look Back: Saskia G-M “Gentle Heart” (review)

This is a “Look Back” post, one that brings an older review (from shedancesinthemind.blogspot.com) here to my new website.

Since my writing in early 2016, Saskia Griffiths-Moore has continued to grow with a series of concerts and some well-shot covers of some well-known tracks on her Youtube channel here.

“Gentle Heart” is seriously an album that you might have missed this year, but shouldn’t have. Check out my writing and the video below!

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An unabashed genre-hopping album that balances light with dark in a spiritually precise manner and a strong leading voice.

Some albums are like the snow-topped mountains of Asia, full of ancient mystery which might be a little unusual or less accessible to the everyday tourist but nevertheless has a solid following and interest, especially for those who have walked those paths. They push out finding new cliques of knowledge to bring back and impress; others are closer to home, seeking simpler wonders and the joys of snapping branches in the local woods, building their tents amongst their mates with a focus on the warm feeling rather than a physical and mystifying experience.

At a beginning listen to you Saskia Griffiths-Moore’s debut album “Gentle Heart” you would be fully under the impression that it follows the warmer, straightforward approach to music making, but this is a misreading of the use of the word “gentle” in the album’s title. For the artist’s intentions here we find that the core of what she is trying to convey is both the affable warmth of beginnings but also the trying to understand the simplicity of death; “gentle heart” here fosters both creative and destructive forces in equal measure. Sometimes it seems more light-hearted, but it is quite deep and even in the bouncier numbers there is often a reference to change and the end of a good life. There is a lot that the album does well, especially Saskia’s voice itself in contrast to the arrangements. If we look at the influences of it’s production next, it is no surprise that the album strives for this kind of balanced exploration of feeling that is has and succeeds.

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Saskia Griffiths-Moore is a relative newcomer to the music scene but she has made some splashes along the way. She has been named as Bristol’s “number 1 folk artist” through the new artist-friendly ReverbNation (for four months running) and has been on BBC Radio Gloucestershire promoting her music too. The album is produced by Robert N. Neil, a musician whose experiences in publishing alongside Ashley Kozak (who was involved with Brian Epstein and Donovan) and his own albums of instrumental healing (and previous meeting with famous guru, Swami Satchidananda) does bring to the disc the aforementioned yin and yang, and a sense of harmony to the music. The focus is uncluttered which leads to an album which is self-described as “underproduced”, but doesn’t suffer for it and in many occasions transcends the simplicity of the arrangement and message being given (in particular track 3, “Call on Spring”). The rather spiritual ethos of the producer is not overly channelled by Saskia’s vocal talents, but rather through it’s cleanness, clarity and arrangement of tracks to create a piece of music which fits somewhere between genres. There are elements of the acoustic, folk, country, jazz, pop, and singer-songwriter categories and for a debut album is all the better for it as it casts a thread of tenderness throughout it’s tracks that provide easy-listening for the audience but with lyrical interest to be something more.

The Tracks

1. In Time
2. Are you Listening?
3. Call on Spring
4. Take My Hand
5. Gentle Heart
6. Wash it Away
7. In the Garden
8. Blue Shade
9. The Presence
10. Be Not Afraid to Die

“In Time” (track 1) is an authoritative-accordion number complete with wisdom, a plethora of chord scratching, and a catchy, simple chorus. Saskia’s voice is quite striking in it’s identity, it bears a strong mid-range much like many several artists at least ten years her senior (she’s in her early 20’s), The lyrics are quite nice too, “of all of my friends, some faces I will see again, and some aren’t around anymore.. but that is a natural law”, they make a mark early on. There is a good presence in this track which relies on the theme of an older person coaching younger members of the family about what they have learnt. It is quite primal and feels like it has hardly been distilled from the experiences that have led to it’s conception and has an air of acceptance of what will be. It is wise-sounding, and slightly cheerfully sung though its words are hinting at themes that will appear later in the album (like a kind of trailer for what is to come). It is an accomplished first track on the album, the chorus is simple yet the repetition of the title throughout with Saskia’s different emphases shows a delightfully clear voice no matter what she is doing with it.

Another track to mention is “Call on Spring” (track 3), a song which veers into the very best territories of singer-songwriter lands. It’s slightly baroque, slightly Tori Amos (Boys for Pele era), and slightly pop ballad and stands enormously strong as a great piano lead that is both light and serious. Once again she employs a hook which will probably reel in young and old alike,”call on Spring, call on Spring, sunshine I will bring”. It is penetrating and lethal as a ballad which due to it’s title and feel has more than a slight touch of the Ostara equinox about it with the rising sun burning the frosty dew, and bringing “renewed life”. It is earthy and could be a rework of a song from history if I didn’t know better, Saskia’s voice is inviting, the piano once again strides and is made all the clearer through an uncluttered and clean mix.

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“In the Garden” (track 7) brings a dainty jazz backing to the album as a change of scene. It is a song you would imagine on a veranda in the closing parts of the day when the long drinks are being brought out by butlers with immaculate white gloves. There are some playful woodwind interruptions as well and some higher singing notes that hang like stars in a calming and confident diversion from the other genres on the disc. It is slightly dream-like and manages to capture the senses pretty well, and deserves a listen for it’s crossover value. Not being a jazz fan there was a danger that it would not be to my taste, but once again Saskia’s vocals make it more compelling then it could have imagined to have been.

“Wash it Away” (track 6) brings back the accordion in a more extended introduction and then keeps it as a central part of the album throughout. The guitar chords and technique sound a bit more Country, as is the subject matter which describes someone in later life reflecting on what has been, the movement of time and the role of history, “wash it all away like the river in it’s path, moving slow or rushing fast”. It is an example of the theme of the album which looks at things delicately, and has a mellow appraisal of things that have happened. It is incredibly hard to dislike and quite moving in it’s simple reflective voice and modest use of minor harmonies that are included within.

“The Presence” (track 9) is a moodier song that looks at loss and serves as a slightly less literal look at death before track 10 arrives (Be Not Afraid to Die). It is introspective and starts incorporating the odd bit of phenomenology into it’s being, describing gazing and “unknowables” and things “gazing back” quite akin to the famous Nietzsche quote that you might have heard (in it’s own way), “out the door I peek into what is not yet know, I set on the edge and feel the Presence”. It is slower, more deliberate, achroamatic and harrowing. Saskia adapts quite well to the downbeat nature of the song and the content, though it would be a much lesser album with songs purely around this theme.

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In Conclusion

The album is varied, It feels like there is a whole spectrum of dark and light that spreads throughout the disc that touches on a number of musical styles, each which is visited quite well (the ballad style of track 3 being the apex for me). On the whole, I find her brighter songs marginally better than the more solemn ones (though track 9 is a great philosophical de-construction) but there is not much difference in real terms, the songs are all well constructed and a good showcase of her various talents. For a debut it is quite ambitious, but it accomplishes what it sets out to do and provokes a few thoughts along the way. It’s “gentle” nature is a strength, it touches on the vulnerability of people later in life but also respectfully listens to their advice and continues to intrigue throughout. If there is anything to take away from her music, that is that her voice is incredibly clear and delightful and in many ways ahead of it’s years, she is one to watch for the future, but in the meantime check her album out.

If you want to find out more about Saskia Griffiths-Moore, check out her website here (where you can also get free copies of her EPs).

Saskia’s album launched on 5th February 2016

 

Categories
Acoustic Album/EP Reviews British Political

Steve Pledger’s – “Somewhere Between” Album Review

A self-assured album from Pledger, whose writing has clearly grown in skill. The lyrics are pleasingly concise, yet emotive and manage to capture other people’s viewpoints very well. It always persuades, but sometimes astonishes.

 

Introduction to Album

Steve Pledger is back with “Somewhere Between” his second acoustic-offering that continues to move across the themes he established quite convincingly in his album “Striking Matches in the Wind.” It is an album that continues to convey society and Steve’s particular viewpoint on politics that is somewhat left of centre. This in mind, it seems that a lot of folk fans will be drawn to the disc regardless of political alignment as it is observant in a forthright but considered way which should garner respect from all corners. The issues at the heart of his album are understandable no matter the political alignment of the listener.

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For example, on the album cover there is an image of white and red paint on the side of a boat. The paintwork is somewhat incomplete, there is a lack of certainty about the finished product. Like many folk musicians hearkening to human fears and worries, the image of sailing and travel is likened to uncertainty; here it would not be a stretch to consider that Pledger is thinking of the future of the UK. For the final track on the disc, “At he Last”, he touches on this sentiment explicitly and leading up to this point throughout the album he considers some more specific issues, notably marginalisation (“Other”), free speech (“The Right to be Wrong”), and the personal effect of mining (“The Louisa Miner”). The music is all held  together by Pledger’s attitude; if you have not heard Steve Pledger his sound is like a milky porridge mix. It is a staple, light and energy filled with fairly concise, relatively simple arrangements but also rustically sweet. I say his voice is porridge because there might be ways of making a mix of oats and milk at a Michelin-starred restaurant that would leave it unrecognisable as a working breakfast, but in doing so the factory-man’s blend becomes something less. One could not begrudge Pledger for taking some new inspiration in times to come, but while he is making political, acoustic work his direct, concise manner of delivery suits the genre, and will be recognisable to audiences.

 

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Songs

It is therefore a cohesive sound that runs throughout. “To Change the World” is Pledger starting his album with a lightly mocking dig at consumerism. Exceedingly airy and wandering it shows the singer at his most aware self, the one that is fused with his political self. The singer positions himself at odds with established ideology, slightly agitating and poking fun at some of the hypocrisies of the left, or maybe those on the right that proclaim they are interested in politics but are slipping as much in the machinations of the system as much as anyone. It doesn’t really matter, he covers both bases and namedropping “Banksy” and “Che Guevara” does give the song some memorable comedy as well, we all know someone who is singing about. The musical arrangement comes together almost like a faux reggae inspired number which is quite self aware too. Whether in construction or incidental the track lampoons a lot of targets on it’s way to your ear and serves the purpose that Steve seems to be saying throughout his work, that he is not above seeing the funny side to life. A good opening track whichever way you look at it.

“Lefty, wait your turn!” is a light touch song that contrasts by pulling some heavyweight names from elsewhere on the political spectrum (e.g. Rosa Parks and Luther King”). There is a call for change, perhaps Pledger is pointing to actions being louder than words, “the more we push the harder this boat rocks”, and that the system itself will not bring about the change, “you don’t get much change out of the bottom of a ballot box.” The piano/organ is quite chirpy when it appears and Luka’s Drinkwater’s double bass brings a nice extra layer to the overall sound too. It all keeps pace, like a kick around with your mates in the back-yard or the familiar pub discussions you know you will have when you see your colleagues at the bar. The track is what you expect it to be which is no bad thing.

 

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A couple of tracks that bring some poignancy are “The Louisa Miner” and “Other”. Simplicity and conciseness in explanation are elements of Steve’s work that appeal the most, though Steve’s music is quite characterful with it. “The Louisa Miner” explores the risks of this way of life, the people that are taken from us, and the families that are undoubtedly drawn into the dangerous work in a different way. It’s strength is that it provides a voice for the miner, exposing the necessity of what they are doing to themselves but also the need to provide for the family, “And if you want a home, Kids and a wife, Bread on the table, a little jam on your knife”. There is a considered purity of language here. When considered alongside “To Change the World” we see that Pledger has clearly grown in his music writing style since the last album. He is taking on different points of views, different modes of speaking, and has now written in the voices of the subjects he is singing about. Pledger captures the sadness and the complexities quite beautifully here and this is a particular strength from this album.

“Other” is more of a blank canvas that waits for the audience to paint upon. It is a quietly reflective song with an (even) starker arrangement of instruments. As it plays it is somewhat like a cold, quiet thought or an amble down a misty glen. Tanya Allen’s fiddle takes pleasure in it’s restless unhappiness in the central character as the song explores identity, and whilst it does seemingly reference skin colour, “my soul would choose a body fair”, the writer has intentionally created a stage here for different people to identify within and play their own parts. In truth it does not seem to seek to address any particular issue, e.g. race, sexuality, age, gender identity, and leaves this matter for the listener to make their own minds and personal links. It feels a bit different to many of the tracks on the album and is one of the best on here.

I am also particularly fond of “I spat fire.” The lyrics are clever “illuminated beauty/vitriolic duty”, the song is almost pop in it’s catchiness, and the imagery within is a thing of inspiration, “the seasons, Lazarus, and darkness.” It could be about a time in a tent, it could also be a creation myth. There is something rather smoky, quite engulfing about the track and I don’t think it’s just the Ledaig I have made a start on. Evocative and interesting it slightly mixes the practical memory with an almost transcendental subtext. The album finishes with “At the last” which (as mentioned) uses the familiar and comforting metaphor of the boat on a choppy sea to describe Pledger’s feelings of uncertainty. It is uncertain about British society, people that kind of thing, “We chart our course, beyond the bow there lies, every fall and every rise we must withstand” but it also exhibits Pledger’s hope that runs throughout the album like a vein of gold in earthy rock.

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Conclusion

Steve Pledger takes the strengths of the acoustic genre and sharpens his political scalpel with it. I say scalpel rather than cleaver because there is a sense of care of what is being put in; the songs are not a mindless attack. You can tell that these things matter to him, it truly comes across in the song but there is an aura, a vapour of Pledger’s open-mindedness, and he is self-aware as he clearly treads with humour and good nature. It feels like there is more variety here than “Striking Matches in the Wind.” Even if there are probably fewer instances of recognisable chants (I am looking at you, “This Land is Poundland”), it doesn’t really matter. Grounded in the world, speaking for people it’s succinct and powerful manner gives it acoustic heart, heart that is unashamedly moved by a changing UK landscape. Fans of political folk will be sold, fans of the acoustic should also give this a gander. Steve Pledger is growing in power.

“Something Between” was launched on 7 Nov 2016. The best place to buy the album is on Steve’s website here, priced £12.

The tour is still continuing too, check out details of where Steve will be playing here.

Check out a video of “Other” below!

I do not hold, or claim copyright for the pictures/links in the above post, they belong to their respective owners.

Categories
British Political Protest Folk

Merry Hell’s Bloodlines – Album Review

Release Date – 1 November 2016

Merry Hell are certainly putting their hours in. There are a working band with new disc “Bloodlines” coming out within two years since their last album, “The Ghost in Our House” (2015). They are in the middle of an exceptionally busy looking tour schedule too (with dates being filled up to next August).

Introduction

Consisting of brothers Andrew (vocals), John (guitar) and Bob (mandolin, bouzouki) with Virginia Kettle (vocals), Nick Davies (bass), Lee Goulding (keyboards), Neil McCartney (fiddle), and Andy Jones (drums) they continue their musical odyssey. This time they rally around the artery of politics, a blood system that courses throughout their folk-rock sound both in name and attitude. On previous musical dashes of theirs you can find tracks such as “No Money”, “Old Soldier” and “Pillar Of Society” that do this already by considering politics in one form or another, but unlike previous albums “Bloodlines” particularly feels like it has been conceived as an outlet for collective unrest in British society.

I say “outlet” rather than spear because there is a certain amount of melodic encouragement and lighter relief to Merry Hell’s sound that cushions this jagged edge of direct protest. It is not a folk album widely influenced by the punk tradition after all though much of the feel depends on the songwriter of each song in question. The male Kettles’ songs are slightly brasher with mental images of steel and industry and farm materials, a direct blow to society’s alloy. Virginia’s lyrics seem instead more like a forest canopy with meanings that dance beneath it’s surface. When combined the overall property of gentle defiance emerges as the intermediate. Whether a song fits into one of these, or to the other band-members songwriting credits; the delivery of the lyrics is generally bouncy, accompanied by a toasty warm bass and a grassy lawn fiddle. Despite the material being split into either being heavily action or contemplation, there is an overarching feel of conciliation and trust in others that forms the shale base.

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Track List

1. We Need Each Other Now

2. Bloodlines

3. Come On, England!

4. Coming Home Song

5. All the Bright Blossoms

6. When We Are Old

7. Stand Down

8. Sailing Too Close to the Wind

9. Chasing a Bluebird

10. Over the Wall

11. Under the Overkill

12. Man of Few Words

13. Sweet Oblivion

 

Tracks

In the opening track, “We need each other now” there is an unambiguous call to action in it’s words, “as borders crumble land and sea, bored with ideology, the skinhead and the refugee, you need each other now.” Along with “Come on England!” it looks to society to act together through the lens of change in response to the barriers of modernity. For the most part it settles on describing political structures and how they affect our personal liberties. If the album had been written later on this year (especially with the US election results) I do wonder if it’s fruit would be less sweet given what feels like a further shift in the political landscape, but these thoughts are largely academic.

“Come on England!” is a great track and does it while talking about “bluebells”, “teacups”, and “dandelions” which in fairness works well to balance with the other darker lyrics about “robbers” and “racists.” Those with a streak of patriotism will really like this song; in the engine that is  “Bloodlines”, “Come on England!” is the protest fuel that burns at the highest grade. This musical direction is a hallmark of Merry Hell’s work and in a way reminds of Show of Hands musical explorations. Merry Hell is more playful and optimistic though, “Bloodlines” is not a savage hound going for the throat, it is a St Bernard taking aid to the parched explorer.

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“When we are old” is a delightfully fervent turn from Virginia Kettle taking the reins of main vocals. Swaying like a treasured swing it is a song of commitment and love, possibly a love letter to her husband; it certainly seems likely. Though it might feel that “Bloodlines” has fewer tracks of this type then Merry Hell might ordinarily go for (I do slightly lament the omission of tracks more like “The Baker’s Daughter”) it makes sense that they do not want to dilute their message too much. The album makes up for this with it’s consistent, considered, poetic lyrics such as, “the days empty and wide, we can watch all the seasons unfold, when we are old.” Deeply personal, carefully written and with some nice backing strings it does what it sets out to do. In result it becomes a possible wedding number for a folk fan (not for me, though I’d like to I suspect my other half would prefer the Human League).

“Over the Wall” is a very good song indeed. Full of fun it doesn’t just tell a story, it practically acts it out with props and stage notes. It starts as a serious, pondering reflection (how you might imagine a musical “Man in the Iron Mask”) surrounded by snippets of goth and new romantic influences  as it describes the “festering darkness” of the prison cell. It then gleefully sprints as the rhythm changes and McCartney’s fiddle begins to dance like the eight legs of Sleipnir. Andrew Kettle goes for range with his voice (and succeeds as he has demonstrated many times), the drums rattle and all the elements come together including Virginia Kettle’s urgent dissent in vocal harmony. Like a novel it turns, gathers speed and slows in sadness a dizzying number of times. It is an example of fearless delivery, brave timing choices and a wonderful historical setting making this the stand out track on the album without dispute.

Some other tracks to listen to intently include “Sailing too close to the wind” (whose intro brings salty memory of “The Tide is High”), “Stand Down” (a slight bouzouki blizzard), and the wide-reaching title track of “Bloodlines”, which like much of the band’s music is affecting and dulcet. The track  I did not feel much for was “Chasing the Bluebird.” Though nice in arrangement, and fragile in delivery it struggles to hold my attention with it’s lyrics. A minor niggle on an album that largely delivers with fun and heart (especially on the last track, “Sweet Oblivion”).

In a Few Words..

 

Quite political it is a human album that will speak to fans and newcomers alike being well produced and as full of anthems as ever.
Generous in spirit Merry Hell deliver an energetic set of tracks with an optimistic view on people and collective power.
If you love politics, a good melody and a thoughtful lyric or two, this album is for you.

If you would like to purchase the album, please go here in the first instance (£12 including postage).

 

Categories
Album/EP Reviews Folk Music Nature Folk Poem Review Political

Lady Maisery – Cycle – (Album Review in Poem Form)

LADY MAISERY- CYCLE (poetic review)

 

A dawn chorus whose stalwart shanties wash an ignorance of history past they 

approach the day careening in Physis’ circuit, putting a breathy foot to a metal horse.

As an earthy watchmaker sets out her table, she is brought an old face.

Burrowing into these metal shells and eyeing her tested tools, she works it’s body.

A chrome infant meets an ancient quartz, no splinter in the ingot. No fault in the join.

A story begins, a story never ends.

 

Thoughtful, the trio acknowledge a family’s love; itself a supporting stage.

Then onward in the quiet of night they deliver “A Father’s Lullaby”, a deep loss within a

lavish labyrinth. This rustling fern echoes, it’s court expands

splitting any stone wall, it creates a sculpture of armouring ice. In spirit

it is rather a brooding temper that swells, dances upon a fulcrum

and begets a mournful embrace.

 

Elsewhere. Be it the Brotherhood or the dissenting diggers;

no grey day, nor loss of sight has moved

the gravel of union or changed the call of the common man.

As the picket lines are emptied and the rain comes,

three birds honour a call from the halls, the canteens, the mills.

And their struggles are not forgotten.

 

These worked hands turn anew; a heated heart of stories told are spun.

Within it there is one part renewal, then a struggle ensues, and finally action turns to thought.

Lay these words all down. A mysticism teases as a chesnut woman brings unimaginable gifts.

In your mind you see her, dancing on a velvet sheet. Her enigma stays creased but her care of step is truly stellar.

Together they move, together they waltz. In order, a sweet continuum of three fine artists.

Truly an epic of the annum.

 

It is a great album in every sense of the word.

Released recently on 28 October, you can buy it at Rootbeat Records here. Lady Maisery are also on tour (check here), so I would recommend seeing them live too.

If you are still not sure, check out a Youtube video of track number 11, “Order and Chaos”, just one example of a singular tune from the album.

Categories
British Dark Folk Nursery Rhyme

Halloween Video of the Week – Lady Maisery’s – The Crow on the Cradle

Boo! It’s Halloween, Samhain, All Saint’s Eve or any other permeation of word to describe this fantastic time of year and to get in the mood I’ve been listening to some dark folk of time gone by.

The darkness has come and much like the balsamic vinegar that hugs at the bottom of that olive oil starter, the vestiges of our primal minds and lesser selves are cast on to shadows and we look inward (or maybe at innards?) I certainly treat it as a time for reflection, as the veil between the living and the deceased is as they say “at it’s thinnest” a quiet stillness descends and the mind races and chases all around.

Folk music notoriously deals with some dark stories, and the selection of tracks that could go here is endless, but when getting in the mood for some introspection I remembered this fairly recent rendition of “The Crow on the Cradle” as performed by Lady Maisery for their album “Mayday” in 2013.

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Why this song? Well.. it appeals to our childhoods. Part of the song is the nursery rhyme “Little Boy Blue” (Roud 11318) which certainly harkens to the mysteriousness of youth, particularly being young in the depths of history as a hard sometimes cruel place. Also.. its a crow! The image of the crow as a dismal, tormenting creature is in our collective consciousness, Poe’s influences of “The Raven” certainly have not diminished. Even without reading writer Sydney Carter’s lyrics as psychological references to the Cold War, there are awful images within which dance around our minds like terrible omens of things to come and these contrasts to the comforting familiarity of nursery rhymes are jarring to put it mildly. With lyrics such as, “the crow in the cradle, the black and the white, somebody’s baby is born for a fight”, the idea that the other, a talking doomsayer (a simple crow) has the power to condemn a human being to inescapable fate is incredibly frightening. You can imagine from far history of the chills and fear of the unknown and more powerful entities pulling the strings of an innocent’s life.

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Lady Maisery as always have hauntingly beautiful voices and they like smoothest obsidian and the sharpest of knifes. The light tap of the percussion, the mourning accordion and gentle banjo create an aching, wounding sound that resonates in particular on this darkest of nights tonight.

Give it a listen, let me know if you agree. Have a great Halloween!

Mayday is available from Rootbeat Records website here, check out this track and others (including Lady Maisery’s new album, “Cycle” on their website here.

Categories
Album/EP Reviews British Modern Arrangement Sea Folk

Kate Rusby – Life in a Paper Boat (album review)

Artist: Kate Rusby

Pure Records

http://www.katerusby.com/

An album of precise and selective instrumentation that concisely builds atmosphere and quality. Kate Rusby continues her good works through effectively combining traditional words and material with modern arrangements with a final product that impresses across the board.

Kate Rusby as we know is pretty much a folk music staple now. She has won practically all of the BBC2 Radio Folk Awards in a number of categories (Best Live Act, Best Album, Best Original Song, Folk Singer of the Year) to the point where she might have to create a new identity so she can have a stab at the Horizon Award too. It is well-deserved though, she started long before the recent notable boom in folk-pop and is very much a celebrity in these Yorkshire parts alongside Fay Hield and Nancy Kerr (and several others of course) in what could probably be considered the real “Northern Powerhouse”. On her 14th Studio Album (getting over unlucky 13 for some, but not really her) and nearly 25  years in music she brings “Life in a Paper Boat” with a continued humility and charm.

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To begin it has to be mentioned that the album artwork is a pleasure to behold. Dark yet colourful on the outside and adorned with paper cut-outs and folds inside there is a playful element to the work that sits alongside the more serious matter of it’s high quality production and photography. The album itself is bright and on listening is quite sensory, it  feels like a series of images are springing up all around and the artist herself to some extent is revelling in her inner child of curiosity. History, myth and wonder are very much a part of what is happening here and can be felt in the skeleton of this endeavour. It does not fully let itself loose though, several of the tracks are grounded in good folk providence and the disc never feels like it strays far from classical influences. For example, the recognisable figures such as “The Ardent Shepherdess”, “The Mermaid”, and “The Witch of Westmorland”  as more fantastical elements are all very present within this musical tapestry.
Producer Damien O’Kane steps with confidence in his job here as the subjects of the songs vary quite considerably between universal tales of love and more traditional and local content (Pace Egging Song). Much of the album is gentle in nature and aims to persuade by leading the listener through a scented garden rather than shouting down suggestions from a political soapbox.
The album has incredible wide appeal, it is not chic folk or folk music which longs to the gloom and misery it has a strong melody and comes at you with it’s arms wide open. It is accessible but also appeals to history and despite some of the heavier topic within, Kate’s trademark storytelling goes for the heart strings  and manages this with a great deal of success.

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On listening, “Benjamin Bowmaneer” is my favourite opening track of an album this year, no questions asked.  The modern drum and golden percussion coupled with Kate’s sirenesque voice brings a character and life to the tailor in the song who goes to war with a horse made of board. An Autumn feeling track it benefits from the artist having one hand creating a fun, believable legend and having one foot where she treads the battlegrounds of old England in the Hundred Years War. It also showcases the album to come with it’s purposeful choices of creating programmed electric drumming (Josh Clark), electric guitar and accompanying strings throughout which gives it a luscious, rolling quality. When you get on to the disc you get a delightful opportunity to hear an artist deep in her stride with music which is warm-heartedness that is traditional in subject but with a modern and attention provoking musical composition. For example, the use of electric guitar and banjo in “The Mermaid” is slight in form in that despite the expected lyrical love for the sea, the ambience created from the instrument feels more like the sun-bleached backing from some late 90’s dance-pop I’ve experienced. Saying this does not to discredit the tune or it’s folk origins, for me the memories of the sun and carefree love of life  was triggered by the unexpected use of these strings here and it certainly brings images of the coast which is certainly part of the sensory intention of the work. Rusby’s voice is particularly seeking in this track and combined with the more tightly wove backing sound sound it constructs the simplicity of an image of the sea, the waves and the joy all together in one place.

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“The Ardent Shepardess” is quite a complex piece with a rich, leathery string soundscape that deepens all involved. Rusby’s voice is empathic and open, the double bass (Duncan Lyall) is earthy, the banjo (Ron Block) is positively electrifying in execution. The old words combine with Rusby’s tune and it all melds together, fiddles and all in a warming number that spins and impresses. “I’ll be Wise” is likewise a sweet number with continued great strings. The double bass is almost like a heart beat as it plays a counterpoint to Rusby’s defiance of cooler reasoning (of head over heart) within the song, “There I see him, I swore I’d walk on by him, but I cannot resist and stop to eye him.” The other fiddles (Donald Grant and Magnus Johnston), viola (Triona Milne) and cello (Laura Anstee) shine as well. Like “The Mermaid”, it is as an example of the disc with a large number of instruments but with a trimmed output sound, or at least a producer (Damien O’Kane) who has recognised that less is sometimes more (it certainly is here). It is sharp and distinct. The sound of “Life in a Paper Boat” does not wash up and roll muddy on the shore, it feels instead like a fine wooden vessel skirting the briny sea on a fresh September morning.

The song at the heart of the album (of the same name) “Life in a Paper Boat” is affecting and timely; managing to convey the fragility, sadness and desperation in the refugee situation with just a few words. The synth in this track casts a slightly spectral, somber feel which sets a scene for the subject who is praying for a ray of inner hope during his predicament. He has lost his wife and the “ancient land I’ve left behind in ruins”, the track focuses on the positivity and light in the situation for that person. It makes you think, but it is not a song that guilt-trips or attempts to point fingers outwards, it just looks inwards to the refugee’s mindset and seeks to create a connection with the listening audience. Penetrating, on-point and as direct to the issues and feelings as possible, it is a song that soothes like a balm on the burning marked skin of society’s conscience. Stirring and mindful it is what is needed for an individual’s quiet reflection of the issue.

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The last track I will talk about is of course the excellent “Big Brave Bill”. When I described Kate Rusby as invoking the inner child, she certainly does here and takes it to the highest level with this song. The song started out as a bedtime story for her children and grew into Bill, a superhero from Barnsley who likes Yorkshire Tea (I can’t stand the stuff but I’m not originally from Yorkshire, so what do I know). He saves people from many notable places in the area such as Cannon Hall Park and further afield in Mallorca (when there is a bad brew was on it’s way) and is unashamedly Yorkshire while he does it. It must certainly have been a guilty pleasure for Kate to write and sing but it is really good, a lovely bit of fanciful myth-making. The whole track is charming and accomplished and as she says it is “truly” a celebration of Yorkshire identity in a lighthearted, highly spirited way. It’s energy and humour does leave me asking if it ever helped her children sleep at night or if it made them jump up and down on the bed a lot instead!

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Throughout the album Kate Rusby’s voice is a sweet undertaking of the finest kind. Some through recent folk history might compare her tones to the light touch of honey or cream or some other swirling, tasty molasses; I actually see the overall sensory analogy as being rather like lemon meringue. As sacchariferous as some could claim her songs are, the key to Kate Rusby’s attraction is her shifting centre, Lemon meringue is sweet but also a touch sharp and the creator of such a thing decides on the balance of two. The title track itself “Life in a paper boat” is serious, is harsh and very real in that it depicts the refugee experience. Rusby doesn’t hand out a lemon and make the situation sour, there is more to it and I think she has a singular skill for eliciting empathy from the audience. The album’s mixing compliments her voice too, it never overpowers or really comes close to drowning out the voice track. There are never any doubts about where Rusby can be heard and this is a great indicator of talent all-round as Rusby favours clarity over volume, and if this album is anything to go off, there is still quite a lot to hear yet from Yorkshire’s heartlands from this artist. Check this album out, it a a nice addition to this year’s releases.

TRACK LIST

  1. Benjamin Bowmaneer
  2. Hunter Moon
  3. The Ardent Shepherdess
  4. Life In a Paper Boat
  5. Only Desire What you Have
  6. Hundred Hearts
  7. The Mermaid
  8. Pace Egging Song
  9. The Witch of Westmorland
  10. I’ll Be Wise
  11. Night Lament
  12. (BONUS) Big Brave Bill

Life In a Paper Boat was released on 7 October, 2016. She is on tour! Check out the image below and her website here, for more details

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Categories
Folk Stories Gigs

Adverse Camber- Fire in the North Sky at The Crucible Studio, Sheffield 11/10/16

For one night only the Studio space of the Crucible was turned into a a kaleidoscope of story, wonder and history with a combined storytelling and musical performance of “Fire in the North Sky” by Adverse Camber. There were birds, bears, men forging with gold and silver, and other incredible creations told and performed from the Kalevala, a hundred thousand lines of collected story traditions from ancient Finnish history so rich in material you feel that the show barely scratched the surface of the epic. Collected by Elias Lonnrot in the 19th Century it was brought to life by Adverse Camber, an independent production company that curates original, expansive stories from another time and another place, and works with artists and venues to transmit these tales more valuable than silk to a modern audience. They are quite local too coming from Derbyshire, and much like their other recent work I reviewed, The Shahnameh (here), there is an energy and excitement to their show which balances the need for telling stories that stand up on their own merits. Not only this but the company manages it without unnecessary set-pieces of over-the-top props that could dilute the richness of the story, the oral tradition takes centre stage. Credit to the producer, Naomi Wilds for shaping the show and director (Paula Crutchlow) for moving the pieces, the Studio was a particularly good choice to host such a program. The decision to use the Crucible Studio meant that quite an intimate connection could be forged with the audience that neither cramped the audience or dwarfed the performers; much like in Goldilocks, the size was just right. The words flourished on the boards of the stage and there was no danger of there being much empty space in the audience as the pre-show interest must have been immense with the studio being fully packed out to the gills and rapt in attention.

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“Fire in the North Sky” does not have a single theme as such running through it. It is a series of stories with certain characters rotating, appearing and disappearing into the ether which echoes the variation and improvisation of these sung stories in antiquity. Like a river the whole thing moves a winding course as a necessary and inescapable aspect of storytelling but there in presentation there was evidence that the tales chosen are sufficiently different in order to provide at least one tale of interest to each audience member. There is a cast of four and all are utilised in connecting to the audience in a different way; Nick Hennessey took the lead in the engagements and telling stories, Anna-Kaisa Liedes and Kristiina Ilmonen brought a bewildering myriad of voice improvisations and Tima Vaananen performed his kantele playing skills throughout linking the stories together. It does mean there is something that everyone will enjoy and given as the performers are folk story and music academics, there is a feeling of being part of something that is well researched and conveyed that adds an extra dimension to the raw draw of a pub yarn from old friends.

With the stories themselves there is certainly an interesting array with several of them touching on the notion of humankind, godhood and the pure power of knowledge. As expected there is morality seeping through the seams where some questionable choices are made by the characters but there is also the heroic ideal shown with individual mortals making bold and beautiful choices in this a strange ancient world. A favourite is the story of Ilmarinen, the blacksmith who upon losing his wife decides to forge a new wife from gold and silver to “fill the space” on her pillow and bed where her head and hip were.

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Despite his toil and looking like he would fail at some point. he does indeed forge a new women but comes to to the realisation that she is cold to the touch. It is part allegory for the futility of substituting human love for material love and part warning of the limits of man’s power (especially well communicated by Nick Hennessey who you can practically smell and feel the sweat and scorching tools as he works the blacksmiths fire).

In another story, Ilmarinen is being forced to forge the Sampo, a magical mill that creates grain, salt and gold, a veritable philosophers stone plus. An enigmatic device to us, but clearly the most life sustaining and valuable commodities of the age. Here both Anna-Kaisa and Kristiina Ilmonen create a vivid scene as the metal goes in the fire and comes out in a number of forms such as a crossbow, a ship. a cow; in the audience the tension rises and the instrumentalists add layers of wails and hisses that are somewhere between creature, human, and material. There is a noticeable breadth and variety of sounds that emerge of a degree and quality I have not yet heard in equal during another storytelling event. At times in the show it felt like you could get lost in thick conifer forests that had sprung up around, and the lush grasses had risen from our seats for the precision of the elements of the soundscape that are introduced are second to none.

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There are also some other familiar figures such as shape-changing witches, the magical musical player Vainamoinen who brings to things to life with his kantele, and Lemmionkainen a youth restored to life through the maternal questing on his mother; it is an exciting spectacle from a rather unknown storytelling region from my own experiences, but on that draws parallels to other more familiar cultures, e.g. Osiris in Egyptian mythology for example who body is pieced back together. Tima Vaananen certainly brings some magic with the music throughout and the authentic addition of this old instrument seems as essential as the Finnish self-deprecating wit. It’s presence acts like the thread that holds the seams of the epic together. The theatre experience is encapsulated with a free programme that is given out which explains the song and story style, the history of the region, and crucial information about the characters focused on. It is a good starting point for anyone keen to learn about Finnish myth an itself a nice souvenir.

In just the two Adverse Camber productions I have seen I have been impressed. There is a great variety between the two but both share a great selection of stories, the curation of some less obvious but interesting material for the audience, and some warm story-telling. Out of the two, Fire in the Sky had a bigger cast, probably more musical and backing variety (but then there is a bigger cast) than the Shahnameh. The Studio allowed the story to progress across the bigger space but the Shahnameh necessarily had to make more creative use of the space and set pieces when I saw it in the smaller Derby venue (which did add some charm). They are minor comparisons and differences, both are a great showcase of talent, a veritable saga of morality and creation, and most importantly an enjoyable night. If you get the chance to see an Adverse Camber work go and see, prepare to be educated and entertained in uncountable ways!

If you want to check out Adverse Camber and their upcoming work, check out their website here.

 

I do not claim ownership or copyright on the above publicity pictures, see Adverse Camber’s website for more information.

Categories
Festival Folk Music Gigs PR

Derby Folk Festival 2016 – Some of the Happenings – Megapost

Hi all.

Derby Folk Festival has been a really good event, I have seen some great acts over the three folk-filled days and wanted to give a rundown of the bands that have come on to my radar since the weekend. There were many big names, there were some energetic new acts and a variety of performances that covered the entire folk spectrum, some I have written about more than others- it is no indication of who I thought was the best (that would be a hard task).

Grab yourself a hot drink, sit back and have a peruse below. Feel free to add comments, let me know what you enjoyed and who you’d recommend to see in the future!

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The Shahnameh: Book of Kings

Filled with stories heaving with imagery, colour and flash in a series of tellings from the poet Ferdowsi over a thousand years in the past, “The Shahnameh” feels like the influential, cultural artifact that we have never heard of. Persian in origin and epic in nature, the atmospheric music (from Arash Moradi), sheer experience and versatility of the main storyteller (Xanthe Gresham Knight),  creative use of scenery, and the gentle, engagement of the audience all contribute to an extra special piece of theatre. See my full post on it now here.

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The Rattlers

Derby has it’s own brand of Celtic Folk Rock. I never knew because it has been hiding for a few years, but the Rattlers are back.

The Rattlers were big in the 90s, a local treasure of sorts but split in 1999 to do their own solo work and things apart from each other.

Coming back together at the Old Bell ballroom for the first time in a good while it certainly felt that anticipation was going to be high from fans. Playing to a mixed crowd of some young, some older. the room seemed to teeming with gold memories and remembered riffs, and it is fair to say that as they did come back, they accomplished a powerful and dedicated set. I will be the first to admit that I do not run towards folk-rock as my first choice in a festival but The Rattlers gave me a taste of what I was missing in having this misapprehension. One of my favourite songs had to be “Down, Long Way Down” a highly rocking, energetic snake of a song from yesteryear telling of misfortune and the poor educational qualities of gun-play. It struck a chord (in my heart) and reminded me of the great variety of folk music and rock and how sometimes you want something with a bit more legs. The much more folky number, “Roll Away the Blues” was also an encouraging and rousing song and worth the entrance alone to see these guys.

The Old Bell Hotel was a cool venue, the oldest pub in Derby with wonderful memories carved into the wood and fantastically situated in the heart of the city. In a sense they are a bit like guardians of Derby’s rock soul, Thor in Asgard. The Rattlers were rocking with the best of them and even if this grandiose description is too much, on another level it felt is like a few hours with some good mates. Time doesn’t seem to have faded their joy and with their slight blues influence,throng of electric guitar and hint of fiddle they are certainly a gem of a band that Derby needs to return in full. A showcase for homegrown live music, it’s honest and melodic rock which blows away the pretension of lesser musicians into the water with their solid, polished performance.

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Mawkin

This is the first time I had seen and heard Mawkin in any shape or form. As I often do, I heard several good things about them all over the place and wondered if they lived up to the hype attributed to them.

On the stage they performed a number of songs from their third studio album “The ties that bind” and Mawkin were good. In fact they did live up to the hype and then a bit more. A defining part of their music is it’s energy and crossover feel. It would be wrong to categorise their music as second wave ska, but their guitar anthems and undeterred lyrical style does feel like jelly from a similar mold. “Jolly Well Drunk” particularly illustrates that as it shares as much with ska-based drinking songs as it does folk singing songs (see Reel Big Fish’s “Beer” as an example). It isn’t quite as fast as some punk, and it’s not as deliberate as some folk, but being driven by a young, brash and per the title “Jolly” approach it is more the planned staggering of a night out at pub stops than the “lets see what happens” night that ends incredibly messy. One of the added intriguing aspects of performance is the division of their singing voices. The songs where David Delarre lead are kind of rougher, folk and rock for the everyman who is working by the sweat of his brow; songs led by James Delarre are more like the nobleman watching the landscape with mild interest and amusement; these contrasts and differences really build a versatile band. Another great song was “Shangai Brown” described as an “anti-shanty” song that talked about the horrors and misfortune of going away on a boat and warning that the better life is the simple married one. Fresh with great punch and a killer chorus, it lingers in the mind and shows great inventiveness in flipping the concept over. This is all incredibly fun, quintessential folk that I would gladly see again.

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Granny’s Attic

Granny’s Attic are a group that is definitely needed, their very existence could single-handedly quell the fears of any traditional folk fans worried about the continuation of the form in years to come, but Granny’s Attic are making a concerted effort to take primary interest in folk of this kind.

When they perform, the joy is in their energy as they literally cannot keep still. It’s not the well co-ordinated, choregraphed jumping of 30+ year olds like myself working out their moves and hoping to appear younger, but it doesn’t need to be; they are loving what they are doing, and they are doing it well. Much like hot air being breathed through a furnace of folk they have a certain amount of swagger but immense humbleness and respect for the audience. Their organic being is supplemented with confidence in more spades than a deck of cards, “Death of Nelson” is sung with grandeour by the members of the group and “Royal Oak” kicks along at a frightful pace before mentioning their other songs. They are a likeable bunch with one happy, one happy go-lucky, and another with the prophetic voice of doom you get in traditional folk that adds a wonderful character. They are quite possibly a glimpse of the future, it is hard not to feel that they are having some good mentoring and at are building up their repertoire for times to come. One thing is certain, they don’t really need any help with stage presence or enthusiasm, the love is deep and honest without a shadow of a doubt.

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9Bach

What can I say about 9Bach?

Before the festival I listened to their video, saw all their promotional material, and stared into their neat publicity pictures that see them looking either (a.) cool or (b.) enigmatic. Then they appeared like the still centre of a whirlpool in the Marquee as the rain swept around outside and the festival tent shrugged off the typical Derby weather with indifference. I was not entirely sure what to expect, a question mark hung over decidedly idiosyncratic music and their seeming religion of ignoring genre, but their performance made things pretty clear.

It was actually something special. Before you even attempt to go any further, the songs are quite haunting, ethereal and somewhat spectral without consideration of the meaning of the lyrics. “Anian” (also the name of the 2016 new album) is like a funk loop, in it’s performance and tension it fills the gap that exists between full new-age soundscapes and traditional folk based on (and describing the relationship with) the land. There are hints of this within the performances, and as a non-Welsh speaker I would possibly have skirted around the meanings in the songs and relied on my own imagination for what the lyrics were conveying (which might not have been the worse thing, but probably a reduced experience) but Lisa Jên did a good job of explaining and conveying their reasoning for each song’s existence and character. Anian for example it is about the sensory and spiritual connection between people, something untranslatable in English and the song “Llyn Du” on the other hand describes a tormented, frightening black lake Queen that lives in the body of water and haunting your dreams. Jen’s voice is a rising, piercing sound amongst the amorphous cold waters, and the bass sounds like it is propelling a river of stone through the waves. The whole thing is primal and atmospheric and in a positive way, unsettling.  The song, Witch Place,a story about a man who disappears and the ominous appearance of red-tinged soil that is discovered by his wife soon after near a church steeple. The song is penetrating, dark and clandestine and reason itself for us to hang, or at least dangle the folk label above 9Bach for disbelievers. My favourite track was “Wedi Torri” (It’s Broken), the harp solo was immensely cerebral, the harmonies enthralling and gentle, and the whole song is balanced on a knife edge of fragility, like a crystal swan figurine on the edge of a shelf. It is a poor comparison, but the last time instrumentals moved me in a similar way was the unstoppable nightmares I got when listening to Radiohead’s Kid A album. It’s not nightmares as such here, the music is really good and emotive; it feels like it is opening the floodgates between imagination, reason, and wonder and giving you a glimpse of musical spiritualism. The whole performance was great and in content it was a huge contrast to the other folk at the festival. Somewhere between Enya and the dark, gritty industrialism of 1990’s Portishead, the band is unabashedly confident and deserving of praise. Much like Jên’s fantastic star dress she appeared in their music is only just of this earth and lustrous in it’s beauty.. I will certainly be getting my hands on the albums when finances permit.

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Merrymaker

I had a bit of time and managed to catch Merrymaker in the Clubrooms at Derby, I have recently written about their recent charity single “Nobody here wants a war” here. A worthwhile cause in itself, it was especially good in such an intimate venue. Village Folk took the room and filled it with some fine folk paraphernalia; photographs of the artists they have previously hosted (at their regular Chellaston sessions, see here) and gave a warm welcome to guests within. Their first year in the role (last year it was Winter:Wilson who spent a good time this year in Derby Cathedral) they were a great addition to the festival. Merrymaker themselves are also undergoing a readjustment and change of scene with Dan Sealey (Merrymouth, Ocean Colour Scene) and Adam Barry (Merrymouth and The Misers) being joined by solo artist Nikki Petherwick from Oxfordshire, bringing some new ideas and direction. As part of their set they played “Nobody here wants a war” with some class, as well as some of their older material which worked well such as “In the Midst of Summertime” a pacy, springy number that felt like rolling meadows and a fresh breeze. Their performance was well rehearsed, yet casual and the addition of Nikki gives them a fuller flavour of sound, her performance of “The Oak Tree” was acoustic simplicity but also categorically beautiful. Towards the end they played”This is England” a definitive track detailing an 85 year old’s perceptions of the Country that he grew up in, in my line of work something I hear quite often. It’s content, empathy and humour is not unlike Oyster Band’s more famous hits, but less bombastic taking aim and hitting out at celebrities and modern culture in equal measure.

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The Young ‘Uns

The Young’Uns were in attendance on the second day and brought their signature, popular and rather denuded version of folk music to a rapt audience. Much like that bit in films where a noble warrior puts down his weapon and fights with fists alone, the Young’Uns opt for folk in it’s rawest, human crux form with several a capella numbers combined with interesting modern influences and topics. The Young’Uns also have the bonus of having gut-wrenchingly strong, exploratory voices and a timeless tradition to their sound and craft which is rightly recognised by folk artist aficiados. Their song “Carriage 12” is like a song from a Western, you can imagine whipcracks, dusty sand and people drinking very bad rye whisky in the background. This it might sound like but in subject it tells a tale of the foiled terrorist plot that occurred on a carriage from Amsterdam to Paris in recent news but as if it had happened over a hundred years ago. The Young’Uns are creating modern mythologies using old standards and showing good mastery of Americana while they are at it. They really are the real world equivalent of the “Soggy Bottom Boys” with the amount of people that packed the room out to see them. Another one of their songs “Dark Water” made a lasting imprint too as is a poignant song constructed from the broken English of a refugee coming to this country on a raft. Resonating outwards and engulfing the audience there was nowhere to hide from this track. There is a braveness to The Young’Uns music which doesn’t shy from modern attempts to hide ugliness in society or how human beings treat each other. It plainly and melodically communicates what is happening and lets the audience make’s it’s mind up. It all still manages to entertain and move despite the risk that the music could use the veneer of the past to shroud the significance of what is being sung about, in fact it holds up the stories for all to see. This talent and driving moral compass makes the Young’Uns a force of authority for the heart of folk within the music community.

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Ninebarrow

On the third day Ninebarrow had the task of entertaining following the aftermath of what seemed like torrential weather. Despite this, their early slot, and a few minor technical hitches early on they went on and impressed me and the rest of the audience enormously. They have a particular brand of folk music that returns to nature and explores it’s uses (hence their name), and it is these inspirations that make their sound as inspired as it is. In this regard they have a gentle folk sound with hints of Simon and Garfunkel in their delivery and harmony. When singing “The Weeds”, a song about a man who has lost his home and life when he makes the rash decision to leave his wife or “Bold Sir Rylas” their darkest cover about the exploits and murder of a bloodthirsty witch, they sound quite uplifting no matter how dark the material. Their frank joy makes opening a bag of moths in a sack factory seem like the most innocent, happy thing you could ever do. Playing fairly light instrument-wise they rely on their affable voices to sweep the songs along which they do with aplomb, but there is an added distinction to their soundscape for they use a reed organ quite extensively. This is a relatively modern sounding take on the folk heritage, and such an integral part of the band that I would fear that removing it would likely remove the modernity, edge and anything of value still present within the song. As a band that  Growing all the time and turning a few prominent heads we have certainly not seen the last of Ninebarrow.

 

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Ange Hardy and Lukas Drinkwater

Like a pint of the black with a rum chaser the pairing of Ange Hardy and Lukas Drinkwater effectively portray a duo of mutual somber jibes and a suppressed manic, mutual deprecation of each other which works for the audience’s amusement. It is of course how many double acts work but their use of stage presence and humour is really well-timed; a few bad pun-like jokes (I actually love bad puns) and a bit of tomfoolery, they would not be out of place at some good venues of the Edinburgh Fringe should their muses depart in the same direction. If this sounds like it is uninteresting chaos and a slight, it certainly isn’t because much like their approach to music and use of technology they are innovators and their performances feel well practiced and organised. In order to add depth and fill a space around the two artists, several instruments such as harp and double bass (and sometimes voice) are recorded by Ange on a loop pedal and used throughout the song performances to great effect, but it would be nothing without what is played and Ange Hardy’s singular voice. Playing several tracks from her quite wonderful Findings album the corners of the Guildhall Theatre shook with the immense concentration of the crowd upon the musical performance. Together they pay wonderful, constructive tribute to songs of old with renditions of “The Pleading Sister, “The Trees They Do Grow High”, and little-heard “Bonny Lighter-Boy”. Her voice seems limitless, their chemistry undeniable, and all-in-all a very good addition to Derby Folk Festival.

 

Apologies if your favourites are not mentioned, I would love to hear your impressions of the Festival in the comments below.. this just a snapshot of a wide range of exciting folk artists that were there on through the weekend. I cannot wait til next year.

Categories
Folk Stories

The Shahnameh “vibrant and colourful with ancient intrigue” – Derby Folk Festival 2016

Title: The Shahnameh: The Epic Book of Kings

Company: Adverse Camber http://www.adversecamber.org/

Producer: Naomi Wilds

Arts Council England

It is Friday 30 September and the first night of the Derby Folk Festival 2016. The marquee is up, the rain is generally holding off and the crowds are just forming. With the choice that there is I take the thoughtful approach and decide to start the festival like the opening of a good book (with a story and spectacle) and go to the Guildhall Theatre to see “The Shanameh: The Epic Book of Kings” brought to us by production company, Adverse Camber.

Broadening it’s remit this year Derby Folk Festival has programmed a piece of live theatre to flavour the start the festival. Different and contrasting to some more identifiable folk (Alma, Sam Kelly) and fan-favourites Fairport Convention on slightly later, it takes a different tack by introducing story-telling of the epic nature early on giving a chance for reflection and consideration of what is heard throughout the three days in Derby. Adapted and staged by a company called Adverse Camber (a producing company based in Cromford, Derbyshire) the stage performance of “The Shahnameh” tells a number of stories and myths that feel familiar to fans of literature and storytelling, yet surprise in their richness of character and mystery of their setting and time in ancient Persia. In having the opportunity to  see this live theatrical event I feel enriched and truly grateful to have made this choice as an opening event.

The Shahnameh is a poem and a historical account of Iran, but these descriptions does not even remotely do it justice. Written by a Persian poet called Ferdowsi between 977 and 1010BC, it does indeed tell some scholarly elements of history and politics though where it shines is the time it spends with the characters and other aspects of wonder and myth. The book has over 50, 000 lines of verse so the performance has to keep it brief! Split into a number of different ages, the company chooses to tell us some fairly action-packed adventures that come predominantly from the “Heroic Age” including stories of Rustam a powerful, several-hundred years old man dragged into the battles and politics of an array of powerful shahs, the beautiful and powerful Simorgh bird straight from imaginative myth who lends aid when it is most needed, and several other characters including Rakhsk a horse the colour of “rose leaves scattered on saffron”. A special strength in the parts and delivery of the story are these characters. Yes, the men are powerful and the women beautiful but there is deception both ways. The mother “Simorgh” bird is immensely wise and strong and a key part of the story, Tahmina is a half-human, half-fairy woman who through pure conviction and choice wants Rustam as a husband; I recommend the stories for people wanting to see gender done right and well even from an unimaginably old literary text.

There is a wonderful, colourful and informative free programme with the show.
There is a wonderful, colourful and informative free programme with the show.

These sensory descriptions give a very vivid sense of the characters but it is the combination of the storyteller and musician that make it truly dance.

Told by Xanthe Gresham Knight (narrator) and accompanied with music of the time and place from Arash Moradi (musician) it builds and maintains a feeling of being taken far, it felt like some of the mundanity of life were brushed aside as we heard the wondrous lives of people thousands of years ago. The story unfolds through the openness of storytelling in the Naqali form, a surprising and engaging form of performance that allows some improvisation and direct engagement of the audience. Several people would roll their eyes at the thought of taking part in a show they have paid to see in front of them, but Knight managed to encourage and draw the audience without being heavy-handed or coercive. By the end like all good stories they were gleefully involved with singing the chants of battlecrys and as birds of the forest, and the whole show felt like it was taking on a life of it’s own- by the interval you really wanted to know what happens next. This connection can be so hard to get in this artform and even with Knight’s exceptional experience in Storytelling (such as having numerous Storytelling Residencies) it still felt like there was a potential for it being a challenging opening as something so different within a full folk music programme, but it all goes exceptionally well and the audience was truly enthralled.

As mentioned, Arash Moradi’s music is something quite special. Throughout the tests of strength, the incredibly romantic encounters and the eloquent riddles that all hallmarks of great stories, the music was ever present. The show seamlessly shifts from one instrument to the next, the drum instrument is made to make the sound of thunderous hooves from what seems like the world’s biggest horse, and the quieter encounters of the heart the next; the shades of emotion are impressive. The imagination of the stories and beliefs of Zoroastrianism were positively conveyed, the heroes felt taller, the moral quandaries greater; the music winds and shapes and like the sweetest perfume draws you in. The message and character of the show is an epic and bombastic yet thoughtful piece that captures your heart and runs with it.

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Credit should also go to the creative team involved with the show. Collaborating director (Kate Higginbottom), design assistant (Claudine Scheer), technical manager (Gethin Stacey), associate producer (Louisa Davies) and producer (Naomi Wilds) have come together to deliver a show that manages to tell old series of stories indeed but make them familiar and shining with an edge of gold leaf. The set is quite minimal but is used really well, the storyteller moves across it in unpredictable ways and takes a number of shapes and characters to convey the story; there is never any confusion about who or what she is representing and the direction helps with this. The stories themselves are quite striking, they remind me a little of the scale and imagination in the Ramanyana on one hand and the familiarity of nature stories like the Jungle Book on the other.

A great beginning to Derby Folk, fans of storytelling cannot fail to be impressed and several others will almost definitely become converts. Adverse have managed the task of choosing an interesting story, telling it in an interesting way, and managing to involve the audience in a gentle way it is vibrant and colourful with ancient intrigue.

If you get a chance to see this as it tours you really should, details are here, alongside their other storytelling tours.

I look forward to seeing what else the festival has in store.

Check out a video of the show below:

Categories
Folk Music Protest Folk Uncategorised

Support Merrymaker’s charity single “Nobody here wants a war”

Merrymaker at Village Folk

Nobody Here Wants A War- Charity Single Launch – 26/09/16

 

Pushing their best foot forward with all the sensibilities of protest folk, the band Merrymaker come at us with a new single “Nobody here wants a war”.

Merrymaker is happily made out of Dan Sealey (from Merrymouth), Adam Barry (The Misers) and Nikki Petherick (singer songwriter), a trio of artists come together in a melodic, thumping protest package; first in the studio earlier in the year to record this number, and soon to be touring with a bagful of new material that for now has been kept under wraps. Their experiences as support for John McCusker, their own projects, and attendance at a large number of folk festivals within the music scene over the years promises to bring a well-tuned, politically sharp live experience to the stage for all. Like all the best folk it feels like they are setting out on a journey of articulating people’s fears of the times they are living in and it does this by going to the populace and crafting a protest out of their collective voice.
As mentioned, all proceeds from this song go to the charity, Action Aid.

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“Nobody here wants a war” is a single that sees the burning fire of our Government’s involvement with Syria and blows away the smoke that lingers. Syria is pretty far from the minds of a lot of people in our country despite it having been a catastrophic war-zone for quite a long time. This could be due to the recent referendum of EU membership and other political debacles, but Merrymaker rightly brings our attention to this House of Commons decision where the country joined a coalition of other countries bombing Syria. By bringing back a memory of this decision they are wanting to give a voice to a nation of discontentment, and explore this pivotal decision that quite possibly opened a floodgate for many undemocratic actions that followed by individuals seated in power. Do they succeed?

They do, and make quite a confident stride at raising their profile. Merrymaker have done this through listening to the people through social media and working the concepts into song in a meaningful way. The collective heave of discontentment and unhappiness is expressed within their music video where several of the responses are quoted and worked into the feeling:

“I don’t think that we can actually accept that we live in a democracy at the moment, you have to question everything you hear”

“I feel saddened, frustrated, angry, and scared of the decision of the British Government”

“A country has no right to complain about refugees when they are the ones causing the refugees to flee”

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The sentiments connect deeply and the latent hypocrisy of some attitudes is challenged, as the lyrics sing, “”it’s a cycle of madness.. and it’s done in our name”. Uplifting and rousing with some lovely harmonies, a likeable pace and a stirring piano it shows a passion to challenge oppression. The layers of aerophone and free-moving fiddle also catch the ear quite nicely and the main singer’s voice is sad yet hopeful. All together a good listen and a worthwhile cause indeed. Living in times of a challenging political identity and growing right-wing ideologies, it is welcome to hear a band focusing on this year and communicating not just a differing viewpoint, but a highly maintained one from society itself. As they say themselves:

“the idea of writing songs about subjects that matter to us as a band, came from a sheer frustration from modern bands and songwriters not wanting
to air their views through music anymore.”

With people’s unwillingness to openly challenge power in society, Merrymaker are lending a hand and at the same time creating a commentary on the times we are living in.

I look forward to hearing them at Derby Folk Festival this very weekend (30th September so get your tickets now), and their future music releases each month that are to culminate in their EP launch in early 2017. If you are in Derby and have a ticket, they are playing at the Guildhall Clubrooms at 5.30pm on Saturday 1st), website here.

Check out the video below, and then go to their website here. The single is available for £0.99 there, with proceeds going to ActionAid who support women and children through a number of initiatives, click on their image below for a link!

 

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All proceeds from this song go to the charity, Action Aid.