Of what we spoke by
Threaded ... The James Brothers by The
James Brothers ... Autumn's Hymn by
Son of John
Threaded are a classically-trained folk trio
from the English Midlands and Of what we spoke is their first
release. If you think the clarinet deserves more prominence in folk music,
you'll probably take a shine to Threaded, who blend Jamie Rutherford's guitar
with Rosie Bott's clarinet and the violin of Ning-Ning Li (whose illustrations
also grace the beautifully-designed album cover.) The quirky opening track, 'The
New Living Room' , sounds like it could have been a slightly manic piece of
incidental music from 'Pogles' Wood' or 'Ivor the Engine'.
The collection intersperses Rutherfords'
songs with an agreeable variety of instrumentals. Some of the songs are more effective
than others. 'Left Off', a tender ballad of lost friendship, has shades of
Nickel Creek and stays with the listener. While I admired the idea of setting
Robert Browning's 'Pied Piper of Hamelin' as a song, the result - 'A Secret
Charm' - is not entirely successful. On the whole, the instrumentals work best,
from the delicate 'The Courtyard' (where Bott's clarinet somehow evokes the
sound of a fairground organ) to 'Captain Markham' (imagine Rodrigo y Gabriela
swapping guitars for violin and clarinet.)
Next up, the eponymous debut album of The James Brothers (alias
Australian James Fagan and New Zealander Jamie McClennan), which was recorded in
Scotland and mastered in Nashville. These songs, tunes and shanties are
well-travelled, steeped in the tradition of the British Isles but distinctly antipodean.
'Hey Rain' complains about the fact that 'there's
rain in me beer and there's rain in me grub' ... not to mention 'a Johnstone River crocodile livin' in me
fridge'.
McClennan plays fiddle and guitar while
his vocals are strangely reminiscent of Al Stewart (on songs like 'Shearing's
Coming Round' and 'Leatherman'.) Fagan shares vocals and guitar duties but the
real synergy comes in the mellifluous blend of McClennan's guitar and Fagan's
bouzouki on tracks like 'Family Tree' and 'The Voyage of the Buffalo' (a tale
of an ill-fated ship that transports convicts to Australia and returns to
England with a cargo of New Zealand timber.) The duo further demonstrate their Australasian
credentials with 'The Ballad of Ned Kelly' and a cover of 'Six Months in a
Leaky Boat' (a Tim Finn composition from his Split Enz period which, when given
The James Brothers' treatment, is revealed as a Crowded House song in disguise.)
Finally, the perfect accompaniment to these
mellow, fruitful days and dark autumn evenings is surely Autumn's Hymn by Worcestershire-based Son of John. Son of John is, in fact,
singer/songwriter and acoustic guitar virtuoso Jacob Johnson. The whole album has
an earthy, traditional feel – though eight of the ten tracks are Jacob's original
compositions. Both his guitar and vocal style (not to mention his banjo-playing)
betray a devotion to the music of Martin Simpson while the choice of the traditional 'Spencer the Rover' suggests John
Martyn is no small influence on this talented young artist.
The opening track 'Baseborn' has a lilting guitar figure and a compelling lyric: '... And the tale is far from done/and the
song still sung/as it echoes round the halls/it breaks down the doors ... ' 'The
Maid and the King' reminded me somehow of an early Suzanne Vega song, 'The Queen and the Soldier', while the dark
arrangements of the title track and 'Let
Me Rest', with their haunting female backing vocals, violin, jaw harp and handclaps
on the offbeat, transport us into Ennio Morricone territory. If you like your contemporary
English folk infused with a touch of Americana and blues, you need to listen to
Son of John.
Further
information:
Threaded:
www.threadedmusic.com/
The
James Brothers: www.thejamesbrothers.co.uk/
Son
of John: www.sonofjohnfolk.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment