Tag Archives: album review

Folk: album review – Gigspanner Big Band ‘Turnstone’

Album reviews, Folk music, , , , , , ,

It’s over fifteen years ago now that the Gigspanner template was firmly established, when their debut album Lipreading the Poet was released: compelling world music rhythms that veer as far away from the category marked “typical English folk” as it’s possible to get, the trademark sound of Roger Flack’s wonderful acoustic-electric guitar-playing, and, of course, the unmistakeable fiddle of Peter Knight. Whether it’s his virtuoso playing with a bow or him playing pizzicato, his style is so distinctive you know instantly it’s Peter Knight.

Importantly, that basic template has been embellished and tweaked and adapted to different formats over the years. In contrast to the first album, for example, the second saw the addition of Knight’s equally-recognisable vocals. In the ensuing years we’ve had other musicians entering the fray to herald the launch of the Gigspanner Big Band, and there’s even been a spoken-word theatrical-style collaboration.

This latest album, Turnstone is another ‘big band’ release which, once again, sees Phillip Henry, Hannah Martin and John Spiers joining the trio nucleus of Peter Knight, Roger Flack and Sacha Trochet. It’s the third album in the expanded ‘big band’ format and was recorded during their Autumn 2024 tour.

Hannah Martin explains the title as follows: “The turnstone is a coastal migratory bird who overturns stones, worn smooth with use and the water of time in its search for treasure – and so it is with the folk tradition, with songs similarly worn smooth over time travelling to us but when turned, yielding new secrets and possibilities.”

It’s an apt description. Comprising ten traditional songs and concluding with an exhilarating live tune-set it’s a masterclass in innovation, experimentation and exemplary musicianship while still being anchored firmly to the world of traditional folk.

The mix of male and female vocals is one of many things about the album where the expanded big band format allows for so many extra layers of musical texture.

In many ways that represents a nod back to those pioneering days of English folk rock, whether in the Sandy Denny-era Fairport Convention or, indeed, Knight’s own former band, Steeleye Span. From Martin’s exquisite vocal on the opening track, ‘Suffolk Miracle’; to Knight’s characteristically gentle vocal on the penultimate track ‘Hard Times Come Again No More’ (which serves to act as a nice companion piece from across the other side of the Atlantic to that perennial Steeleye Span / Gigspanner favourite, ‘Hard Times of Old England’); to the beautiful harmonising of both Martin and Knight on second track, ‘Sovay’, the vocals are faultless. Throw into the mix those mesmerising rhythms, some blinding guitar work and Spiers’ undisputed mastery on the melodeon and concertina and you’ve got so something very special indeed.

Whatever the format, a new Gigspanner album is always something to look forward to but Turnstone is one of their best yet – an absolute masterpiece.

Released: 11 April 2025

https://www.gigspanner.com/

New book out this summer: ‘Steeleye Span 1970 to 1989 On Track: Every Album, Every Song’

Folk: album review – Peter Knight & John Spiers ‘Both In A Tune’

Gigspanner at Hastings 2021

Gigspanner Big Band ‘Natural Invention’ album

Peter Knight’s Gigspanner ‘The Wife Of Urban Law’ album

Gigspanner at Hastings 2017

Gigspanner Big Band at Hastings 2016

Gigspanner ‘Layers of Ages’ album

Gigspanner at Hastings 2015

Gigspanner at Whitstable 2014

Folk: album review – Reg Meuross ‘Fire & Dust’

Album reviews, Folk music, , , , , , , ,

A project commissioned and produced by The Who’s Pete Townshend, that’s built around the music of veteran British folk singer-songwriter, Reg Meuross, and is all about celebrating the life and times of who many consider to be America’s greatest ever folk-singer, Woody Guthrie, Fire & Dust certainly ticks plenty of boxes in the legends stakes.

Featuring twelve original songs penned by Meuross alongside four of Guthrie’s own songs, Townshend approached Meuross convinced that he was the right choice tell Guthrie’s story and, in Townshend’s own words: “draw a direct line from Woody, through Bob Dylan, to Reg Meuross.”

That notion of a baton being passed from Woody Guthrie to Bob Dylan, is reflected in the album’s final track, ‘Gypsy Singer’.

Reg Meuross: “It was because of Dylan’s visits to Woodie, his mimicking of his songs and singing, his hobo style, and his courage that I – and probably many more contemporary music fans – became interested in Woody. I already knew some of his folk songs, in fact my very first gig I played two of them. But Dylan drew my attention to the side of Woody for which he has since become famous: the compassionate, flawed and fiery fighter for freedom and equality, the protest balladeer, the Gypsy Singer.”

Joining Meuross (vocals, guitar, harmonica, banjo) a host of top-notch guest musicians (including Phil Beer, Marion Fleetwood, Gerraint Watkins and Simon Edwards) each work their magic. Townshend, himself, also contributes keyboards and bass guitar on two of the tracks

Pete Townshend: “Reg’s terrific songs tell Woody’s life story with respect and affection, but also truth.”

Highlights include the anthemic title track, the ‘Fire’ aspect representing the family tragedies that marred Guthrie’s personal life and the ‘Dust’ aspect representing the dust storms that forced millions, including Guthrie, to flee their homes in 1930s America. A change of tempo comes with the beautiful poignant ‘Woody Come Home’, written from the perspective of Guthrie’s wife. Among the Guthrie covers is, of course, Meuross’s rousing interpretation of that perennial protest anthem, ‘This Land is Our Land’. As the US of today descends into increasing authoritarianism, it’s a timely inclusion.

Throughout his career, Reg Meuross has been writing and performing songs brimming with passion, empathy and defiance. Probably no contemporary folk artist in Britain was better placed to make an album celebrating the life and music of Woody Guthrie – the protest singer’s protest singer. Fire & Dust is an outstanding project featuring an incredible set of songs.

Released: 14th March 2025 https://www.regmeuross.com/

This week’s featured artist: Pippa Reid-Foster – latest album ‘Undercurrents’

Album reviews, Folk music, , , , , ,

Pippa Reid-Foster is a contemporary Scottish harp player who began her professional career after graduating from Scotland’s Royal Conservatoire. Not only is she an accomplished performer and composer but, through her teaching work, she is also passionate about passing on her skills to a new generation of musicians and composers, covering everything from classical to traditional to modern pop.

© Eoin Carey

Her debut album, Driftwood Harp, retained strong roots to her Scottish heritage, but her minimalist compositional style and her desire to innovate was already apparent and she would take that a step further with her next release. 

Undercurrents is her second and most recent album, released in September 2024. It was borne of a wish to perform music on her chosen instrument, the Scottish lever harp, that one might not typically expect to hear from such an instrument. Comprising ten original compositions and interpretations of three additional pieces by Max Richter, Phillip Glass and Alexandrea Hamilton-Ayres, the emphasis is very much on creating contemporary music that’s infused with minimalist elements to create an album of exquisite musical soundscapes.

Pippa Reid-Foster: “The album is a collection of musical soundscapes meant to evoke strong feelings, uplift the spirit, and provide moments of reflection within the hectic world that humans have created.”

Touchingly, Undercurrents is dedicated to the surgeon who helped save her career. Whilst surfing she snapped the ligaments in her wrist and suffered excruciating pain and problems playing for two years. She was referred to Dr Iain McGraw, Consultant Hand and Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeon at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, who successfully carried out a rare and delicate operation which could have left her unable to use her hands for good if it didn’t work.

Pippa Reid-Foster: “I simply cannot thank Dr McGraw and everyone else involved enough. This album only happened because of their skill and belief that mine was a musical career worth saving.”

That uplifting tale will surely put anyone in the right mood as they sit down to enjoy this equally uplifting album.

Released: September 2024 https://pippareidfoster.com/

This week’s featured artist – classical folk guitarist David Mitchell

Album reviews, Folk music, , , , , ,

David Mitchell is a Somerset-based classical and folk guitarist whose debut album, Contours, came out in October. He describes his guitar playing as “Folk-Classical fingerstyle” and combines elements of both genres to create his own unique interpretations of well-known classical pieces and traditional folk tunes, as well performing his own original compositions.

Besides his solo work he has been involved in various collaborations with other musicians, including performing in a duo with multi-instrumentalist, Rupert Kirby,  and being part of the Monkey See Monkey Do Ceilidh Band.

In addition to being a talented musician, Mitchell trained as a luthier (the traditional name for a craftsperson who makes stringed instruments) at Newark and Sherwood College. On the album he plays a classical guitar that he crafted himself.

Contours is an instrumental album made up of tunes from the folk and classical world alongside original compositions.

David Mitchell: “A lot of the tunes and sets relate to the landscape and natural world, particularly the high and the low places, so ‘Contours’ seemed appropriate as a title to bring this collection altogether.”

A beautiful album of incredible virtuoso playing, David Mitchell brings together his love and knowledge of both folk and classical to create something truly special with Contours.

Released: October 2024 https://www.davidmitchellmusician.com/

Folk: album review – Suthering ‘Leave A Light On’

Album reviews, Folk music, , , ,

Suthering are the Devon-based folk duo of Julu Irvine and Heg Brignall. If We Turn Away, their 2022 debut album, was co-produced by folk luminary Lukas Drinkwater and picked up many enthusiastic views for its exquisite vocal harmonies and thought-provoking lyrical themes.

Now Suthering are back with a follow-up. Leave A Light On was released in the latter part of 2024 (and available on streaming services from January of this year). Again, it showcases the pair’s gorgeous vocal harmonies, alongside Brignall’s piano and Irvine’s guitar and flute, and is even more sumptuously produced than the last.

While Drinkwater guests on the album once again, Leave A Light On sees Sean Lakeman in the producer’s chair this time. The brother of Seth (and husband and musical partner of Kathryn Roberts), he does a seriously impressive job. This is no real surprise, given Lakeman’s impressive track record as producer for the likes of The Levellers and Seth Lakeman. However, as was evident from their debut album, Suthering is a creative endeavour built on very solid foundations, with powerful songwriting at its core.

Heg Brignall: “These songs have a rawness and an honesty about them. There is a vulnerability in the songwriting and it’s also an album full of strength catharsis. Sean’s influence has helped push our sound in a new and exciting direction.”

The duo’s name, a word which means “the sound of the wind through the trees”, comes from a poem by John Clare. It nicely captures the duo’s love of nature which is a recurring theme in the duo’s music.

Whether they are singing about the power and the beauty of the natural world, inspiring female figures from history, or latter-day threats to women’s reproductive rights, Suthering consistently deliver that trademark blend of poignant lyrics and irresistible harmonies. Leave a Light On is a stunning second album.

Released: October 2024 https://www.suthering.com/

Related post:

Folk: album review – Suthering ‘If We Turn Away’

This week’s featured artist: singer-songwriter, Mark Neal – debut solo album out now

Album reviews, Folk music, Rock music, , , , , , , ,

Cool Waters is the debut solo album from singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Mark Neal. While he’s been playing and recording as part of the Scottish traditional music scene for many years, this is the first time he’s worked solo.

Based in Helensburgh in the west of Scotland, Neal is mainly a guitarist and singer but ever since he started playing music as a young child he’s enjoyed the challenge of picking up and learning new instruments and different musical styles. Having a keen interest in science and technology (having studied a degree in Physics and a PhD in musical acoustics) he has always enjoyed the technical side of music. He’s been heavily involved in sound engineering and recording since his university days and is co-owner of the Edinburgh recording studio ‘The Sonic Lodge’ with fellow musician and producer Phil McBride.

Mark Neal: “I have been writing songs for many years and over 2023 I decided to take a bit more time to do more writing and ended up completing this collection of songs. This album started as a solo songwriting project but as it developed it seemed like a nice idea to make the whole album completely solo with me playing all the instruments, producing, recording and mixing.”

“The songs are mostly all based around my acoustic guitar playing but move away from the trad/folk style that has been a feature of most of my recording and performing and pulling in influences from jazz, pop, rock and classical music which I also love. Much of the songwriting has been inspired by nature and many of these songs come from thoughts that have popped into my head when wandering around the land and seascapes in the West of Scotland.”

Cool Waters is a highly enjoyable album with some lovely guitar, both acoustic and electric. Although Mark Neal’s musical background is very much in Scottish traditional music, this album is much more in the gentle, laid-back singer-songwriter vibe. Think of a Scottish James Taylor and you won’t go far wrong. Beautifully written and performed and well worth checking out.

Photo credits: Gordon Russell

Cool Waters available on CD via Bandcamp and released on all major platforms from 1st November 2024

Visit website here

This week’s featured artist: Church Street Shuffle – debut album ‘The Five Day Weekend’

Album reviews, Folk music, , , , , , , , ,

A contemporary Scottish fiddle and guitar duo featuring fiddle player, Neil Ewart, and guitarist, Ali MacQuarrie, the pair came into one another’s orbit through the bustling live music scene in Inverness and the band’s name pays homage to that, where it’s not unknown for in-demand musicians to play up to three venues in one night, shuffling up and down the city’s Church Street as they do so.

Church Street Shuffle: “Recognizing a shared vision, they embarked on a collaborative effort to blend Neil’s multilayered fiddle loops and chops with Ali’s intricate guitar work, bass lines, and beats. Despite their modern approach, they remained steadfast in honouring the timeless traditions of Scottish music, infusing each track with authenticity and reverence.”

The inspiration for the album’s name, meanwhile, harks back to an old expression about a musician’s typical lifestyle during the winter months, where the weekends would extend beyond the conventional working week.

Neil Ewart’s musical journey began at the National Centre for Excellence in Plockton, where he honed his skills before pursuing a degree in Applied Music at Strathclyde University. His innovative and daring compositions are deeply entrenched in the rich heritage of Scotland’s west coast. Echoing the creative spirit of pipers from centuries past who improvised variations on Gaelic airs, Neil breathes new life into the genre by infusing it with contemporary harmonic structures and rhythmic complexities.

Ali MacQuarrie’s masterful guitar playing and infectious grooves, meanwhile, are also a key feature of each track. He continues to refine his craft at the Royal Conservatoire in Glasgow, enriching his musical repertoire with classical training. His reputation as a sought-after guitarist in the Highlands continues to soar, which has seen him share stages with acts such as Calum MacPhail and Cala.

Recording the album, the pair joined up with established recording engineer and producer, Barry Reid, who also plays synths and percussion.

A contemporary and fresh-sounding take on Scottish traditional music, the duo have created an instrumental album that’s both fizzing with innovation yet also feels like the warm embrace a familiar old friend. The Five Day Weekend is an impressive debut.

Released: 17 May 2024

https://www.churchstreetshuffle.com/

Singer-songwriter: album review – Steve Knightley ‘The Winter Yards’

Album reviews, Folk music, , , , , ,

In 2023 Phil Beer and Steve Knightley announced a final tour before putting Show of Hands on indefinite hiatus, pledging to “prioritise their well-being, creativity, and longevity above the demands of the road.” There was no suggestion, thankfully, that either of them would be giving up performing altogether and for those feeling a Show-of-Hands-sized gap in their lives the good news is that Steve Knightley is back with a brand-new solo album – his first in seventeen years.

Steve Knightley: “I’ve spent much of my career weaving the West Country and English landscapes into my music, seeking to capture the essence of rural life and the stories that define it. But with Show of hands now on sabbatical, I’ve found myself at a crossroads – a moment to pause, reflect and consider new directions.”

“This album marks a significant departure for me, both musically and personally. Inspired more by the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Peter Gabriel, The Winter yards reflects a fresh journey, venturing more into urban and transatlantic landscapes. But while it explores unchartered territory I believe it stays true to the voice I’ve always had, finding new ways to tell stories that matter.”

The Winter Yards is not simply Show of Hands in exile but without the fiddle and the mandolin. Clearly, however, Knightley’s unmistakeable voice, both as a singer and a lyricist, is very much at the heart of the album and there’s plenty here to appeal to long-term fans of the duo.

Lyrically, the album tackles themes as diverse as the Post Office scandal, immigration, the emotional toil when friendships breakdown and youthful, sun-kissed, summer romance. Knightley also revisits a handful of Show of Hands songs, including ‘Requiem’ and ‘Exile’ but one of the few ‘everyday story of country life’ songs that Show of Hands were best known for is one inspired, not by the tribulations of rural life in Devon or Somerset, but rather an anthemic celebration of the village of Wickham in Hampshire, the county Knightley was born in.

Musically, there’s a lush palette of sounds, incorporating keyboards, guitar, drums, dobro, violin and more, and Knightley has pulled in a wealth of talent to perform alongside him on the album. Phil Beer even gets to guest on a couple of tracks.

Poignant, tender, thought-provoking and rousing, in turn, The Winter Yards marks a triumphant return for Steve Knightley as a solo artist.

Released: 4th October 2024

Visit Steve Knightley’s website here

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Folk: album review – Show Of Hands ‘Roots 2: The Best Of Show Of Hands’

Live review: Show Of Hands at St Mary in the Castle 4/5/18

Folk: album review – Far Flung Collective ‘To A Sea Cliff’

Album reviews, Folk music, , , , ,

To  A Sea Cliff is the third album from Anglo-Scottish folk ensemble Far Flung Collective. The collective was originally formed back in 2015 as part of a collaborative project between English SoundStorm Music Education Agency and the Scottish University of the Highlands and Islands, linking musicians from southern England with peers based in the Gaelic Outer Hebrides. A debut album, Far Flung Corners, emerged out of the project in 2017 with a follow-up, Black Bay, in 2020.

For this third album the long-standing nucleus of Alex Roberts (vocals / guitar), Wendy Stevenson (fiddle/whistle), Dan Somogyi (piano/guitar/bass) and Mabel Duncan (vocals/guitar/fiddle) are joined by seventeen new collaborators, as musicians and narrators, across the fourteen tracks.

Unlike its two predecessors, the recording of this album hit up against the constraints of covid lockdowns and so, created almost entirely online, recording took place at a much more leisurely pace over a period of two years (which makes me feel slightly less guilty about only now getting around to reviewing it, some six months after it was released).

Dan Somogyi: “We bounced ideas and recordings around, brought in musicians wherever we could get them locally, and refined ideas more than we would ever have time to do in normal circumstances. Out of adversity, new tunes emerged and the resultant album is something we’re very proud of.”

While the album as a whole is inspired by and celebrates some of the incredible coastline of the British Isles, it’s arranged thematically. The first section, comprising seven tunes, was inspired by the landscapes of southern England and includes the wonderfully-atmospheric ‘Durdle Door’, written as a tribute to that famous natural wonder of the Dorset coast.

The next section, made up of two tracks, is about taking a look at things that unite communities in England and Scotland, whether it be coastline or culture, and includes a spoken-work part in both English and Gaelic. The third section then places the emphasis firmly on Scotland, with six newly-composed tunes, including a lovely tune-set made up of two new traditional-sounding Scottish jigs, written by fiddle-player, Anna-Wendy Stevenson.

For the final track, the album takes a completely left-field turn with an epic, nine-minute piece, ‘Avian Migrations (Dub of the Little Tern)’. Reminding us of our place in the wider world, we’re taken on a musical journey that incorporates free jazz, reggae, Afrobeat and the reworking of a Scottish reel from the Collective’s debut album.

While the album is fantastically varied, both musically and stylistically, it remains surprisingly cohesive and is absolutely brimming with vibrant and uplifting tunes, making for a fitting celebration of our incredible shared coastline.

To A Sea Cliff released on 23 February 2024

https://www.facebook.com/farflungcollective/

https://farflungcollective.bandcamp.com/album/to-a-sea-cliff

Singer-songwriter: album review – Jack Badcock ‘Cosmography’

Album reviews, Folk music, , , , ,

I’ve been really impressed with Jack Badcock’s work in Dallahan, the Scottish/Irish/World folk band that he helped found a decade ago. This month, however, sees him release Cosmography, his first ever solo album.

As with Dallahan’s 2023 album, Speak Of The Devil, it’s a showcase for his gifted acoustic guitar-playing and distinctive tenor voice. But whereas that last album took us on an exhilarating, frenetic journey across a number of folk traditions, this one takes us into lush, atmospheric, singer-songwriter territory. And a very fine debut he’s turned out in this new guise, too.

Badcock’s vocals are soulful and emotive and he’s proving himself to be an ever more impressive songwriter, here tackling themes from the future of humanity (‘Life In Three Dimensions’); the sixteenth century explorer who was the first Englishman to reach Japan, (‘The English Samurai’); and the much more personal ‘Too Many Things’, described as “almost a therapy session that tackles the excessive indulgences of myself and peers in the music industry.”

What really makes this album, however, beyond the poignant songwriting and superbly mellow vocals, are the rich layers of instrumentation. Euan Burton, who also plays bass on the album, does a sterling job as producer and leaves us with a solo album that’s polished and fully-formed. With a stellar line-up of supporting musicians, including some especially beautiful piano from Tom Gibbs and simply gorgeous pedal steel from Connor Smith, there’s much to fall in love with here. Folk luminaries like Siobhan Miller, Josie Duncan and Joy Dunlop line up to provide lush backing vocals.

Don’t expect Cosmograpy to be much like Dallahan but do expect it to be exceptional. It really is outstanding.

Released: 3 May 2024

https://www.jackbadcock.com/

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Folk reviews: Gnoss, Rachel Hair & Ron Jappy, Gavin Marwick & Wendy Stewart, Jo Miller and Dallahan