New reviews

I got hold of two new releases over the last week, June Tabor's 'Ashore' and Brian Finnegan's 'The Ravishing Genius of Bones' distributed on Topic and The Singing Tree respectively and will be reviewing them over the next couple of posts.

June Tabor: Ashore

Topic has a high reputation within the folk community for providing top quality releases from within the folk genre, indeed it is now rare that they take on another artist the most notable exception being Fay Hield (The Looking Glass) and that same reputation precedes any release by JT, her albums carrying a sense of poise and dignity to each song that she delivers with care and this album does not disappoint the expectations of either party with each song arriving as a masterclass on how to tell a story, emote each character and draw the listener into the world that surrounds the sea: for the sea is at the heart of this album. When introducing the CD in he sleevenotes, she writes how she was born and brought up about as far from salt water as it is possible in these isles and this is reflected by both the album title and the delivery of the songs; a sense of wistfulness, of wonderment at the tales told and the ever present mystery that the sea has held for so many over the history of man. This is someone looking out at the sea from land, not the other way around.

As for the tracks, there are eleven songs and two tunes, some of which JT has recorded before but reworks to dramatic effect. I don't think I've ever heard her voice as clear, soft and full as on this album and used so well, in addition her beautiful deep tones she adds in passages of speech to accentuate two of the tracks, giving them extra lift and presence to the listening ear but it is her treatment of Les Barker's brilliant 'Across the wide ocean', a song written for the folk opera 'The stones of callanish' and one that I have been waiting to appear on record since I heard her perform it live seven years ago where she excels; it becomes more than a song, it is an experience. Let it not be said however that this album is just about June Tabor; her musicians, whom she has worked with over many years, show their knowledge of her style and each other's parts, flowing seamlessly in harmony with each other to the rising highs and the diminutive shallows; this becomes not just about a singer with her musicians but a group playing as one and bringing a collective feeling that swirls around your ears, pulling you ever further down into the music. Trying to find words for this album, this experience, is so hard as superlatives seem to only stretch so far or do not demonstrate the fullness that it exhibits... it's just real. The playing, the stories, the tunes, the world in which they inhabit and the worlds that they extend into are so real that you want to be a part of them, and I think the feeling is mutual.

This is a must have.

Jim Moray: In Modern History. A first review

So an exciting day today as Jim Moray's new album has been pre-released through Songlines magazine. This is a slightly shorter offering than that which will be released this summer but I thought it would be a good chance to have a look through it to give my first impressions.

Bristol Harbour: Contains a similar theme, tune and feel (in the beginning) to the start of Low culture and lays out his vision of the album's theme with the marimba creating a lovely texture to the music through the verse... and then the guitar kicks in and destroys it. The mystique, the atmosphere built up so carefully through the start of the song is wiped away without a second glance, it just doesn't click for me and it's because that the piece, despite getting louder, just doesn't "fill out" with the noise so all your left with is drums and guitar playing an uninteresting chord sequence (the bass just following the chords) with the vocals straining to be heard over the top, I don't know if the other instruments keep playing because it's impossible to hear them. There's a nice break toward the end but all it does is show you what the previous chorus' haven't managed to do, a bit of a poor start.

Jenny of the Moor: This gets back to what Jim does really well which is create the 'feeling' of the song with his arrangements that allow the story to come over, this one being performed wonderfully with Hannah Peel. The story is a classic "broken token ballad" with the sailor returning to his true love and showing here the ring they snapped in two. Despite not having much variation in the tune, the little intricacies that flit about in the background keep the song very much alive.

Hard: At first I was worried that this was going to be a cover of Chris Wood's song (something that should never be attempted)! At first listening, the song just seems a very-slightly above standard folk-indie-love-kinda song (my new genre) with a few clever lyrics and a few dropped catches shall we say... but on repeated listening I've found that it definitely is! The lyrics "it's hard to land on your feet when your falling, and you don't know which way is down" are sort of nice but just don't ride.

William Taylor: Cross dressing- Finally! and a strong song to boot with Saul Rose and Eliza Carthy creating a scratchy tune to set the scene before the orchestra comes in perfectly arranged (if a little James Bond) but, again, this is the sort of song that I really associate Jim's playing with, a bit off the cuff, a bit dramatic and really quite a lot of fun.

Actually, it's super James Bond, I wonder if that's the image he was going for: the disguised female hunting down her slighting lover?

The Lowlands of Holland: Very nice middle to the album, relaxing the whole feel and a really nice melody chosen. I've often felt that despite being a popular song, it's come across a bit soulless due to it's very "modal" feel but there's such warmth to this track that you can't help but feel that your watching the pivotal scene in a romance (a good one that is)

Silver Dagger: I love this... at first I was confused as I didn't recognise the lyric structure (the Joan Baez/ Show of Hands versions I've never fully got on with) but with a bit of reading into the background I can see the Romeo and Juliet imagery. The addition of modern lyrics puts me very much in mind of his second, self-titled (and possibly deepest and darkest) album and even reminds me of AFI's "End Transmission" (this is a good thing)! Modern History seems to be really hitting its stride now...

Cold Stone: A breathless and clever song about three brothers desiring their fathers gold with the narrator coming out on top, a well-worked twist on the original. I'm sure that I've heard the tune before, I think it was Bella Hardy.

Long Lankin: I agree wholeheartedly with Jim's statement on this song in the magazine, "I've always liked the idea of Long Lankin but not the actual song". A creeping and nasty song about probably the darkest character in English folklore and a reminder to children to always close the windows when you sleep. Originally La(m)kin was a stonemason who was refused payment by a Lord for his services and so exacts the most extreme sort of revenge but he has become very much a bogeyman figure creeping and stalking through the night. The arrangement is, again, Moray through and through drawing a definite Early English feel out through the melody right to the very end.

So overall, another great album by Jim Moray only hampered by a couple of tracks towards the beginning which keep it from possibly becoming my favourite of his works.

As stated before, this is just a preview of the full album coming out 7th June which will include bonus tracks. There is also Jim Moray: A beginners guide which is a collection of his work up to date including the rare 'I am Jim Moray' E.P which I've certainly been hankering after for a while now!