The Luck - Thousand Islands, Islington (25/07/19)

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• Artist: The Luck with special guest Roisin O’Hagan

• Date: 25th July, 2019

• Location: Thousand Islands, Islington

• Website: https://www.twitch.tv/theluckmusic

• Review By: Gary Smith (LCM)

• Video: Martin Cox

Album launches are always special occasions, especially when it is marking the launch of a wonderful and highly anticipated debut. Thousand Islands, a ‘glitterball’ filled venue above the famous Garage. played host to a fast-rising London based brother and sister duo, who I think have all the elements and great team behind them, to become one of the UK Americana and Folk Rock breakthroughs acts of 2019.

Blending Americana with Folk Rock, Max and Esmay have such a great talent to write and produce memorable, meaningful and commercial songs. Blended together with excellent arrangements, musicianship and special ‘blood’ harmonies. The first time I heard their music I had the same reaction as I did when I first heard The Wandering Hearts, who have gone on to great success over the past few years.

On the hottest day so far of 2019, the crowd braved the heat to enjoy a top night of new indie music.

Their special guest and opening the launch was Essex based Country singer-songwriter Roisin O’Hagen who has also been on my radar for a while. Roisin was a Fender Undiscovered Artist of the Year 2018 finalist and has recently performance a ‘Under The Apple Tree’ session at the home of a legendary supporter of new artists broadcaster Bob Harris. Taking to the stage solo with her bright red Fender acoustic, Roisin performanced a seven song set of some of her most popular tracks including ‘Miss You Like June’, ‘Undone’, ‘Run’ and ‘Living In The Dark’, We were even treated to her UTAT session song ‘Coming Home’. With a great new single ‘Drive’ released back in June, I’m expecting more very deserved recognition and success for Roisin this year. Please watch out for her at a gig or festival near you.

Introduced by another wonderful BBC Radio 2 broadcaster and support of indie music Paul Sexton, Max and Esmay took to the stage along with Jim on drums and Scott on guitar. With Esmay taking the lead vocal they opened their set with the rocky Americana flavoured ‘True North’. This was quickly followed by a great track which has received a lot of regional radio play recently ‘ If This Is Love’ taken from the new album. ‘Lionheart’ is an aspiration song about having courage, really going for it and following your dreams. The pace then slowed for the heartfelt ‘Place In The Sun’, a love song written for their parents 40th wedding anniversary.

With just Max and Esmay on stage, Max plays piano and takes lead vocals on the uplifting, atmospheric Fleetwood Mac and Laurel Canyon flavoured ‘Rise & Shine’. Another aspirational song in the set was the very catchy folk rock ‘Vertigo’. It was full of driving percussion and soaring harmonies. One of my favourite tracks on the night was the wonderful and reflective ‘Holding On’, which was the first track the Max and Esmay wrote togethe with its beautiful heartfelt lyrics, soft finger picked guitar, delicate bass and super vocals. Next was the the more rocky album title track ‘Ready To Run’ which is receiving a lot of praise and love and very rightly so. The track was written near Lake Tahoe in the US about the end of a relationship.

Max and Esmay returned to the stage for their well deserved two song encore. First was the wonderful ‘Leave Your Light On’ followed by a beautiful unplugged up close and personal performance of ‘Muscle and Bone’ in the middle of a very attentive audience.

It was a super and very memorable debut album launch by two new high flying stars of the London music scene. LCM ‘Ones to watch’ in 2019.

You can buy a copy of Max and Esmay’s new album below or directly through their website >>>

Darlingside - O2 Shepherds Bush Empire (01/11/18)

Photo credit: Nick Bennett

• Line-up: Darlingside with special guests Wildwood Kin

• Date: 1st November, 2018

• Location: O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London

• Review By: Gary Smith (LCM)

• Video credit: Martin Cox

With their biggest London headline gig to date, the excellent Boston based quartet Darlingside thrilled audiences with another superb performance. A frequent visitor the band have been very active in cultivating and growing their UK audience. In the last eighteen months they have headlined the Union Chapel and Courtyard Theatre, showcased at the AMA UK conference, as well as a UK tour and festival appearances.

The very talented Darlingside feature Don Mitchell (guitar, banjo, vocals), Auyon Mukharji (mandolin, violin, vocals), Harris Paseltiner (guitar, cello, vocals) and David Senft (bass, kick drum, vocals). These 'band of brothers' are all from very different musical backgrounds and performance styles including chamber music, choral singing, Celtic session playing and street busking. NPR described them as 'exquisitely-arranged, literary-minded, baroque folk-pop'. Simply put Darlingside’s music plays is thoughtful, cinematic and often deeply moving. There is a special and magical feeling about it. All the band are all highly skilled multi-instrumentalists with a super tight delivery in their playing and harmonies. They certainly have the 'wow!!' factor.

For this headline London gig they invited their special guests, the excellent up-and-coming West Country family trio Wildwood Kin. Darlingside had first met them when they shared the bill at Celtic Connections. Having two groups with great harmonies, songwriting and musicianship complemented wonderfully on the night.

Wildwood Kin opened with the powerful and atmospheric ‘Warrior Daughter’, full of tight harmonies and driving percussion. Also taken from from their debut album ‘Turning Tides’ was the beautiful ‘Run’, which was championed by BBC Radio 2 and received a lot of airplay, The band are currently working on their second album and are also set to a release a new covers four-track EP ‘Voice Of Equilibrium’ at the end of the month. It was exclusively on sale during their live dates. Their set included two songs taken from the new EP, wonderful versions of Stevie Wonder’s ‘Higher Ground’ and Robyn’s ‘Dream On’.

Including more tracks from their debut album, ‘On and On’ was a beautiful song themed about unconditional love. Wildwood Kin had recently been invited to perform at the ‘Old Grey Whistle Test’ anniversary show. The song they played live on the show was ‘Steady My Heart’ and they showcased it once again..Wildwood Kin perfectly concluded their set with another powerful song the very catchy hit ‘Taking A Hold’.

After a short break the very impressive Darlingside took to the stage. Grouped around a condenser microphone they played tracks from their new album ‘Extralife’ as well as previous albums ‘Birds Say’ and Pilot Machines‘ and their EP ‘Whippoorwill’.

The set opened with the Simon & Garfunkel flavoured 'Singularity' giving the warm encouragement that individually we can difference. It begins and ends with a Septavox which gives it a 80's video game feel. With themes of pre-apocalyptic earth "Someday a shooting star is gonna shoot me down. Burn these high rises back into a ghost town of iridium-white clouds. Matted close against the ground. While the sky hangs empty as a frame!'. The word 'Eschaton' carries the idea of the period of time immediately preceding the end of the world' “No matter what we’ve been....We are the upshot now. Time, they all know the time and what we used to be. Signs, look at the signs. Tell me what you believe". The song suggests that we forget past nostalgia and focus on the present. Making the most of it while we still can, all the while trying to make a positive difference. The track has a very interesting blend of electronic music and underlying string arrangements.

With it's fuzzy guitar opening the wonderful 'Go Back' had shades of early Mumford and Sons. Brittle synthesizer-like sounds from Auyon’s mandolin seamlessly mesh with acoustic and 12- string Danelectro guitars for a great rock groove. The beautiful ‘White Horses’ is the band’s ode to Chicago. Sparse notes from banjo, acoustic guitar, violin and keys punctuate the solemn and beautiful song. Next the retro sounding 'My Girl, My Guy' had shades of CSNY and the Beach Boys. Named after the Scottish island, ‘Lindisfarne’ had a beautiful string arrangements and soaring Beach Boys choir-like celestial harmonies.

It was now time for the title track of their latest album ‘Extralife.’ It's introduction feels like being inside a 80's computer game, before launching into the band's trademark super rich harmonies. Examining current world events It begins with the phrase, 'It’s over now........The flag is sunk'. I love the lyrics in the second verse 'In the only game I ever played, I am the ageless one. Another hunted bird. An arcade word. A living machine love. There must be something i've lost sight of.....Extralife.' Just like a computer game do we have a second chance to reset....to gain that extra life? ‘The Ancestor’ is the opening track of the 'Bird's Say' album. With it's bowed cello and gentle mandolin playing, it reminded me of a gentle version of a Keston Cobblers Club track. It was time next for a rare cover with a great acapella rendition of Neil Young’s ‘Red Sun’. This was followed up by the always entertaining and clever ‘Harrison Ford’.. 

Written in Santa Fe, New Mexico 'Orion' looks towards the sky and stars for inspiration. Soft mandolin plucks accenting the song like the myriad stars in the heavens. "The paint is peeling off of a dream. Pool is draining into the sea. Tomorrow is beginning to take an equal and an opposite shape. Beach is just a line in the sand. The tide is in the palm of your hand. It's looking like a star over you. Either way the end is around the bend". I love the rich and atmospheric lyrics in the song.

Another beautifully written track is 'Hold Your Head Up High' with it's soft strummed acoustic guitar, accordion and added brass motifs "How it rambles 'round the moon. A let-go-of balloon. Nothing is forever, everything is soon. And my father as he stands A perfect cartoon man. Heavy-sighed and open-eyed, I heard him speak. See that humankind is you. Like all the rest, down to the scratches on the album that you're singing to.'  To close the main set they brought out one of their very popular older songs from their debut album ‘Pilot Machines’. The rocky, psychedelic and very catchy ‘Blow The House Down’.

With the sound of a very happy audience ringing in their eyes the band returned to the stage for the encore. Inviting the very talented Wildwood Kin back to the stage to join in on backing vocals, Darlingside performed a great version of the reflective ‘Best of The Best Of Times’.

They saved one of my favourite songs, the quite simply stunning ‘God Of Loss’ to close the evening. It was the first song I heard from the band on it’s release and it still hasn’t lost any of it’s magic.

The unique Darlingside create a wonderful slice of contemporary folk culture, with a huge helping of flair and panache. A musical 'band of brothers' all very talented in their own right, coming together to create a piece of magic and its’something that they all clearly enjoy immensely. Darlingside have found their signature and highly engrossing sound and the world is a much better and richer place for it.

With a new Darlingside UK tour promised in the autumn of 2019, we would highly recommend that you go along.

Sam Kelly And The Lost Boys - Bush Hall. London (11/11/18)

THE LONDON ROOTS FESTIVAL

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• Line-up: Sam Kelly and The Lost Boys with special guests Honey and the Bear

• Date: 11th November, 2018

• Location: Bush Hall, London

• Review By: Gary Smith (LCM)

A ‘Remembrance Sunday’ gig at the wonderful Bush Hall in London saw one of the UK’s finest young folk bands headline a very memorable night of music. It was full of passion, high energy and high quality music.

Sam Kelly and The Lost Boys have gained a worthy reputation as an very exciting live band. They are also a folk super group, full of very talented award winning individual musicians in their own right. They played a slightly reduced regular line-up at Bush Hall with Graham Coe (The Jellyman’s Daughter) and Archie Churchill-Moss (MMR) missing. But still had the awarding winning Sam Kelly (The Changing Room), Jamie Francis (The Changing Room, Stark), Toby Shaer (Seth Lakeman, Carousel), Ciaran Algar (Greg Russell & Ciaran Algar) and Evan Carson (The Willows, The Changing Room, Ange Hardy) in their ranks. 

Special guests Honey and Bear, the newly married duo of Jon Hart and Lucy Sampson. had joined Sam and the band on their tour in March last year and the combination worked perfectly again. Hailing from Suffolk their great blend of Folk and bluesy Americana really complemented SKATLB’s more high energy Folk Rock style. I’m always fascinated by multi-instrumentalists and both Jon and Lucy swapped their multitude of instruments with ease. Their infectious music and tight rich harmonies adding to the mix. Subject material included the long distance yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur, Dulwich under the sea, a lovely song dedicated to their grandparents and the beautiful ‘Sailor’s Daughter’.

After a short break Sam and The Lost Boys opened with the upbeat ‘The Kings Shilling’ from the band’s self titled debut album. The album version also features Kitty Macfarlane, who has just released her excellent debut album also produced by Sam.

Included on Sam’s 2015 EP ‘Spokes’ ‘Hickathrift’ tells the story of a giant killer. Tom Hickathrift is a legendary figure of East Anglian English folklore, a character very similar to Jack the Giant Killer. 'Angeline The Baker' (Roud 1834) was written by Stephen Foster for the Christy Minstrels and first published in 1850. The original Appalachian tune laments the loss of a female slave sent away by her owners. The song was also featured on Jamie Francis’ debut solo album.

The title track from Sam debut EP ‘Spokes’ followed but not before an anecdote about the song being played a few times on BBC Radio Shropshire on its release, enabling the band to buy a Freddo between them with the PRS radio royalties. Sam mentioned that the song was also played on the TV series ‘Hollyoaks’.

Sam revealed that Jamie and himself had recently signed a publishing deal. ‘Like Lennon and McCartney’ Sam said ‘You now have Kelly and Francis’. ‘Francis and Kelly I thought’ corrected Jamie with a smile. ‘He doesn’t say much, but when he does…..it’s solid gold’ said Ciaran laughing.

Taken from Sam’s second album ‘Picking Up The Pieces’ with ‘The Changing Room’, ‘Gwrello Glaw’ meaning ‘Let It Rain’ is a stunning song sung in Cornish. Sam mentioned that he played the song at Jon and Lucy’s wedding as their first dance. We returned to a nautical theme for a dark tale in which a lady's lover long lost at sea, returns to her and persuades her to come away with him to a distant land. After boarding the ship, in the true traditions of folk music, she quickly realizes all is not as it seems......[spoiler alert] one of the versions of this traditional song is called 'The Demon Ship'. The love interest of the traditional song 'The Bony Lass of Fyvie' gave them the title of their latest album 'Pretty Peggy'. On the album version the band are joined on the track by the wonderful Cara Dillon.

Described as ‘the stuff of nightmares’ by Sam, the ‘Dullahan’ is a headless Irish horseman who collects the souls of the dying. With its excellent high energy finish, this song is also found on the bands debut album. Next was a song dedicated to Sam’s grandparents who inspired his love of folk music, the beautiful ‘I’ll Give You My Voice’. Sam mentioned that you can find himself and his grandfather playing music together on YouTube.

First collected in the late 70’s from the North East of England and learnt from the singing of M. Knopfler, was a super high energy version of ‘Sultans of Swing’. It’s always a crowd favourite and it didn’t take much to have the audience singing and clapping along.

'The Close Shave', a very clever and funny variation on the traditional song 'Barrack Street'. It tells the unfortunate tale of gold miners in the a New Zealand town, cross dressing, gross deception, heavy drinking, robbery and a never ending cycle. The personal and tender 'Chasing Shadows' written by Sam is a song for a close friend and for anyone currently going through a tough time. Sam also mentioned that is now available on all BA flights, as it has been added recently to their playlist.

To finish the main set the band played ‘Greenland Whale’, a very catchy high tempo traditional whaling shanty is sometimes know as 'The Whale Catchers' or 'The Twenty Third of March'. It's a real toe-tapper with a great hooks and a sing-a-long chorus.

Their encore song ‘Healing Hands’ was followed with a couple of tunes, 'Josh's Slip' by Toby and 'Rookery Lane' by Ciaran which form the uptempo 'Shy Guy's Serve' set.

With a standing ovation and the sound of a very happy audience ringing in their ears the band knew that they had performed one of their best London gig to date. Another excellent addition to The London Roots Festival.

Photo Credit: Navigator Records

Photo Credit: Jon Hart

Honey and the Bear

Music Makers Festival - The Half Moon, Putney (6th - 7th Oct 2018)

• Event: Music Makers Festival

• Date: 6th - 7th October, 2018

• Location: The Half Moon, Putney, London

• Website: www.musicmakersfestival.com

• Review By: Gary Smith (LCM)

The Music Makers festival in just it’s second year is rapidly becoming one of the premier events on the London music calendar. It wonderfully showcases the ‘songwriter and the song’, with original music the main focus. But with the occasional cover song added for good measure.

With 14 acts performing over two days the festival had an excellent new home at the historic music venue The Half Moon in Putney. The festival also highlighted the great talent and high quality music we currently have in the independent music world. Albert and Manoja even managed to add a few surprise guests into the already fantastic line-up.

Saturday

The festival opened with a fantastic young St. Albans based singer-songwriter Hope, with her beautifully crafted reflective piano ballads and pure vocals. Playing a mix of original material and a Nora Jones cover, Hope created the perfect opener with her very compelling performance. She mentioned that her father used to drink in The Half Moon in his university days, so it was very fitting that she had the opportunity to perform at the venue. Hope will also be supporting Brian McFadden at The Boisdale in Canary Wharf in early November.

Travelling over from Cork was one of Ireland’s most prolific singer-songwriters Jack O’Rouke. Dramatic and powerful piano ballads were the order of the day. A great mix of contemporary folk, blues, jazz and Americana, including an anthem for the recent marriage referendum in Ireland and a wonderful cover of Bowie’s ‘Life On Mars’ to finish.

Next up were the fast rising London based Country Pop and Americana band Two Ways Home. This time the band was playing in trio format with Lewis, Isi and Michael, which I thought worked very well. Gaining a lot of experience from running their own London Nashville style ‘Songwriter In The Round’ show ‘The Round Up’, they were perfectly at home on the Half Moon stage. Performing a mix of new and older songs they explained the origins their compositions, including some recent co-writes in Nashville including ‘Hope & Glory’ and ‘Vegas Wheel’. Their set ended with the the audience singing along to the very catchy ‘Push & Pull’.

Travelling up from Brighton was Jacko Hooper who has supported both James Bay and James Blunt on tour. Jacko had not performed in London for over a year, so it was a rare opportunity to catch him live. His songs reminded me of Damien Rice and Glen Hansard. One of the highlight of his set was the duet ‘Runaway With Me’ with special guest Rebecca Wrangler.

It was only fitting that one of the wonderful key organisers of the MM festival the award winning Albert Man took to the stage next. Joined by Dan on bass and Joe on drums Albert played a selection of new songs including ‘Chasing Rainbows’, ‘Blink’ and some old favourites ‘Shotgun’, ‘Say Out Loud’ and ‘Groundhog Day’.

One of my favourite bands of the day were the Treetop Flyers, a Folk-Rock/Americana band from London. Playing a rocky bluesy stripped set with just two members and one sitting in the audience. Super songs, guitar playing and vocals. They are supporting Israel Nash at the Scala soon and I would highly recommend booking a ticket. Also please check out their recently released self titled album.

The evening concluded with an excellent set by London based four-piece AKA George. Full of catchy songs, driving rhythms and a electrifying stage presence, they reminded me of the sadly missed INXS. Hailed as a ‘genius’ by Pharell Williams, AKA George is current gaining a lot of recognition with 30 million YouTube views, a headline performance one one of the stages at Glastonbury and one of the band singles ‘Stone Cold Classic’ used on a recent Skoda advert. Definitely one to watch for the future.

SUNDAY

The Sunday programme began in a similar way to Saturday with an excellent opening set from a young singer-songwriter, this time the very talented Lucy May Walker. Lucy is based in London but is originally from Redditch. You will often find Lucy busking around London including at the famous Southbank. Armed with her trusty acoustic guitar and thoughtful catchy songs she charmed the audience. One of the highlights of her set was her song about London living ‘You’re Not Alone', which she entered into a London song competition. Lucy will be having a live session and interview with Jeremy Vine on his BBC Radio 2 show on the 31st October. Also please check out her latest EP ‘Heartbreak Songs’

Also joining us from the Emerald Isle was Irish singer-songwriter Declan Greene. With great craic and a rich powerful vocal Declan was a charming and engaging showman. Opening his set with a powerful unaccompanied song and then picking up his acoustic guitar for the rest of the set. Songs included ‘River’, ‘Clean Break’ and a cover of the Moody Blues ‘Nights In White Satin’. The last song saw Declan play his song ‘Stay’ unplugged in the middle of the audience, exiting the packed room with the audience still singing along to the chorus.

London based singer-songwriter Mide and his band provided a change of style with their combination of smooth Soul, R&B and Rock, joined my fellow band members Joseph and Michael. Mide played a great set including ‘Name’ which he said was great for weddings, the rocky uptempo toe-tapper ‘The Way You Move’, a tribute to his father ‘Wind Chimes’ and two lovely songs about love ‘Wonder’ and ‘Falling For You’.

As a surprise the very talented Dublin born Gavin James performed a great two song mini-set. First with his song ‘Always’ on acoustic guitar, which he described as the ‘saddest song ever’ and then a lively duet with Declan on the Bruce Springsteen classic ‘Dancing In The Dark’.

The very classy Danni Nicholls always makes in impression with her great brand of UK Americana. She was nominated as ‘Artist of The Year’ at the recent AMA UK awards and it isn’t to difficult to understand why. Danni is currently working on her third studio album and from what I’ve already heard it is going to be very special. Her set included songs from the new album ‘Loosing It’ and ‘Ancient Embers’ as well as a few older favourites ‘Hey There Sunshine’, ‘Beautifully Broken’, ‘Back To Memphis’, ‘Long Road Home’. To finish ‘A Little Redemption’ which is based on a hymn, had all the audience joining in on the humming section.

Continuing the high quality music was London based Howard Rose with his brand of Soul and Country Rock n Roll. Howard was joined on stage by band members Joe Cartwright (bass) and Damon Claridge (drums). An excellent set including songs from his latest EP ‘Changes’ and a great cover of Harry Nilsson’s ‘Without You’

Mercury nominated Michele Stodart of The Magic Numbers is always a class act. With her 1964 Gibson Hummingbird in hand she treated the audience to new songs and songs from her solo album. She was joined by band members CJ James on drums and Andy Bruce on keys/bass. Listening to her set was a perfect way to spend a chilled Sunday night.

Closing the festival was another Irish singer-songwriter Kim Hayden from Wicklow and her band. Kim was a semi-finalist on the TV series ‘The Voice Of Ireland’ and see mentioned that it was her first time performing in London. Joining her on stage were Gus Crawford Collins, Geoff Warner-Clayton and brothers Ben and Ian Cully. Kim said that her drummer is from Putney, so he was playing on home turf. Often sharing the lead vocals with Ben, Kim played a lovely and entertaining set of her songs including her new single ‘Trouble’.

A special thank you to MMF founders Albert Mann and Manoja Ullmann for arranging, organising and hosting such a great festival. To Ross Macintyre (Play That Country Music) who did a a great job MCing and interviewing the artists and to all the hard-working MMF team. A special thanks also to Nina Jackson and her team at The Half Moon including sound engineer Linnea Kempe, who I thought did a fantastic job all weekend.

I can’t wait until the next one, a definite date for your 2019 diary.

Emily Mae Winters - Cecil Sharp House, London (03/10/18)

‘HIGH ROMANCE’ PRE-RELEASE UK TOUR

• Line-Up: Emily Mae Winter Trio

• Location: Trefusis Hall, Cecil Sharp House, Camden

• Date: 3rd October, 2018

• Review By: Gary Smith (LCM)

• Photo Credit: Tony Birch (FATEA)

The hallowed halls of the home of English folk music Cecil Sharp House provided the backdrop to a wonderful headline gig from fast rising star Emily Mae Winter and her superb band. Emily was joined on the night by the very much in demand John Parker (Nizlopi) on double bass and the very talented Jamie Leemings (Solasta) on electric guitar. The combination works perfectly adding a perfect complimentary backing for Emily’s rich soaring vocals and high quality songwriting. The gig was the very first one for Emily as a full time musician, having recently given up her teaching job.

After a short introduction by EFDSS’s new creative director Zoe Nicholls of the Worry Dolls, the first set was opened with the atmospheric ‘This Land’. Powerful vocals from Emily’s coupled with her new mint green Gretsch, bowed double bass from John and Pink Floyd like guitar break and slide guitar from Jamie. Emily concentrated on some of her newer songs in the first half and the next one in the set was the lovely ‘Lately’. Although currently based in Cambridge, Emily previously lived in London for seven years….and might be returning in the new year. ‘Lately’ with it’s rich feel is Emily’s tribute to the capital. Emily said that she wrote the next song ‘How To Fix A Broken Sun’ while shadow hopping in the hot summer sun. It made her wonder what would happen if it suddenly stopped shining. The sun is also often used as a metaphor for happiness and new beginnings. Continuing the London theme the next song ‘Until The Light’ was written on the Southbank. After a switch to her Tanglewood guitar due to a misbehaving Gretsch, this one was played solo. Gentle finger-picking really complimented the song’s content. It was a return to the Gretsch after some quick maintenance by John. ‘Would The World Stop Turning’ is a beautifully song and I was so glad to see it included in the set. Returning to an older song Emily played an acoustic version of the excellent ‘Miles To Go’. To further enhance the set Emily played ‘Across The Wire’ a reflective Piano song about receiving love letters in the modern era. About the problem of getting things across and of being in love.

Emily then spoke about her current Pledge campaign and pre-sale for the album (link below) and that title ‘High Romance’ carries the idea of escapism

https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/high-romance

Up next was the title track of her debut album ‘Siren Seranade’. which she wrote at Lake Balatar in Hungary after sadly being dumped. Emily conducted the audience in two sections to provide the underlying humming two-part harmonies. The award winning ‘Anchor’ provided a fitting end to the first half. A song written by Emily at 17 years ago when she was living in Conakilty in West Cork, Ireland. A song themed on a sense of home and place based on people and your roots.

After a short break the second half began with a new piano ballad ‘One Of These Days’. Emily used the metaphor of children washing up on a beach like treasure and trying to explain the world to them. A perfect seasonal song was the autumnal ‘Blackberry Lane’ about blackberry picking in Cambridge. Written in Ireland another excellent song ‘Foreign Waters’ was the title track of Emily’s debut EP. We had a special guest Elisabeth Flett, Jamie’s band mate from Solasta, who joined Emily on fiddle for the next traditional song ‘Down By The Sally Gardens’. Solasta will be performing next in London on the 11th October at The Goose Is Out! Ivy House in Peckham.

We shifted up a gear for the up-tempo Americana and Western flavoured song about gin and whiskey ‘Gin Tingles and Whiskey Shivers’. Which is sure to be a popular live track on new album. With a powerful County Rock feel another new track ‘Wildfire’ was next and worked very well with the previous track. Another highlight was ‘Come Live In My Heart And Pay No Rent’, a song which Emily has recently adapted from an Irish poem. A fitting encore was a solo acoustic cover of the Goffin/King classic ‘Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow’ with the audience joining in on the harmonies.

Emily is one of the fast rising young stars of the UK Americana and Folk world. We see a very bright future ahead.

A Winter Union - St. John On Bethnal Green, London (14/12/17)

• Line-up: A Winter Union (Katriona Gilmore, Jade Rhiannon, Jamie Roberts, Hannah Sanders and Ben Savage
• Location: St. John On Bethnal Green, London
• Date: 14th December, 2017
• Review By: Gary Smith (LCM)
• Live photos and video: Keith Bache

One of the musical highlights of the pre-Christmas period is the annual UK mini tour from folk super-group 'A Winter Union'. It brings together five of the leading lights of the current British roots scene, who have joined forces to create a festive folk band like no other. Their repertoire includes brand new, specially written songs, fresh arrangements of traditional carols both well-loved and little-known and seasonal classics from both sides of the Atlantic. High class musicianship and songwriting plus wonderful close soaring harmonies are the hallmarks of the night. This gig was made extra special as it was hosted at St. John's, a grand but rather cold early 19th-century 'Sir John Sloane' designed church, just a stone's throw from Bethnal Green Station.

'A Winter Union' was originally formed in 2015 for a one-off Yuletide concert. They returned in 2016 for more shows including one of the home's of UK folk music Cecil Sharp House in London and a live session on BBC Radio 3. This year brings the band’s first line-up change with BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winning Kat Gilmore & Jaime Roberts replacing another multi award winning duo Stu and Debbie Hanna from Megson.

The evening started in true seasonal fashion with the traditional and popular carol 'Ding Song Merrily on High' with Hannah and Jade sharing the lead vocal. This was followed by an original song called 'Every Midnight Mile', a tender and thoughtful charity single released in 2015 to raise money for 'Shelter' as part of the Song Ark project. This Americana Folk flavoured song reflected on 'being grateful for what we have' and was written by Kat. The original recording also included UK folk favourites Lucy Ward and Sam Kelly.

Secrets were revealed next as Ben confessed that his hobby away from music is cider making. The rowdy and rousing song 'Our Wassail' followed with Ben taking the lead vocals and featured very strong and lively fiddle playing from Kat. Wassailing refers to a traditional ceremony that involves singing and drinking to the health of trees on Twelfth Night in the hopes that they might better thrive. The purpose of wassailing is to awaken the cider apple trees and to scare away evil spirits to ensure a good harvest of fruit in the Autumn.

'Elizabeth' is a homage to Elizabeth Woodcock from Cambridge who after visiting a local inn and getting quite merry fell off her horse in the wintertime and was allegedly entombed in an ice cave in a snow drift for 8 days. She survived so the story goes on nuts and brandy. I loved the acoustic guitar solo from Jamie in this one.

It's always great to have a traditional song about yuletide kindness to peasants and 'Good King Wenceslas' fitted the bill perfectly. This popular Christmas carol that tells a story of a Bohemian king going on a journey and braving harsh winter weather to give alms to a poor peasant on the Feast of Stephen. The song featured Kat on tambourine (borrowed from Jade's daughter), Ben on Dobro and some fantastic three part harmonies from the group.

We were treated to an 'almost' world exclusive live premiere (2nd play) of an excellent new song written by Kat called 'Fox In The Wintertime' which geatured Kat on lead vocals and Jade on BV's. To close out the first half 'The King' featured 'the king of birds' the wren. The ancient annual hunting and killing of the little wren symbolized of the death of winter. The song is also a new charity single to support missing people. This segued nicely into a few choruses of 'Good Rest You Merry Gentleman' with it's heartly 'good tiding of comfort and joy' refrain

The second half opened with the group singing unaccompanied the rousing ancient and traditional carol 'The Boar's Head' (first published in 1521). Starting at the back of the church, they walked down the aisle through an enthralled audience, finishing the song the front of the stage. The church acoustics working marvelously. I also loved the instrumental version that followed of another traditional carol 'In The Bleak Midwinter'. The song is based on a poem by the English poet Christina Rossetti written in 1872 and was first set to music in The English Hymnal in 1906 by Gustav Holst. This version saw Hannah on dulcimer, Kat on fiddle, Ben on Dobro, and Jamie on acoustic guitar. A third very popular traditional carol followed with a wonderful version of the 'The Holly & The Ivy' featuring Jade on lead vocals.

The 'Mistletoe Bough' is based on a horror story, which has been associated with many mansions and stately homes in England. Surprising it was a very popular Christmas song in the mid 1800's, even forming the basis of a later Alfred Hitchcock movie. It features a new bride, playing a game of hide-and-seek during her wedding breakfast, who hides in a chest in an attic and is unable to escape. She is not discovered by her family and friends and unfortunately dies. The body is found many years later in the locked chest, as a skeleton in a wedding dress.

The 'First Light Of Day' is a song written by Jade's husband Cliff who was on baby sitting duty on the night. Ben joking said that for a few years they never took much notice of what the song was called, they just nicknamed it 'Cliff's Christmas'. Jamie took the lead standing in for the absent Cliff.

It was very fitting that for the very famous carol 'We Three Kings', that they were joined on stage by one of the resident church statue 'Melchior'. When I say resident, the statue has been taken on a bit of a journey recently including the Parliament buildings, The National Theater and various London Football Clubs. The history of the statue and its journey was then told by Father Allen. Interestingly and quite uncannily the statue bore a striking resemblance to Richard Thompson, unfortunately this time without his trademark guitar. After the end of the song Father Allen come back to retrieve the statue.......so in true Elvis Presley tradition..........'The King has left the building!' 

Christmas hat time followed with the group donning various Christmas novelty hats for a cover of a Christmas Country number one from The Band called  'Christmas Must Be Tonight'. Ben joked that because it was a Country song and the first one the band had written, they included a lot of Country song references including trucks.

For the well deserved encore the group returned to the front of the stage. A sang around a retro bi-directional condensor mic that Hannah and Ben often use in their duo set. 'Raise A Candle' was a tender and heartfelt post Christmas song reflecting about the New Year. 

To end a wonderful evening of music they chose a rousing and uplifting American-American spiritual counting song called 'Children Go Where I Send Thee'.

It was an excellent concert from a group of very talented folk musicians and friends. I hope that the 'A Winter Union' tour becomes a permanent and regular fixture for many years to come. It's a early Christmas treat and a perfect seasonal musical present.

Jade Rhiannon (The Willows) – Vocals
Katriona Gilmore (Gilmore & Roberts, The Willows) – Vocals, Mandolin, Fiddle
Jamie Roberts (Gilmore & Roberts, The Dovetail Trio) – Vocals, Guitar
Hannah Sanders (Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage) – Vocals, Guitar, Dulcimer, Autoharp
Ben Savage (Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage, The Willows) – Vocals, Dobro, Guitar

Moulettes & 9Bach (Double Header) - Cadogan Hall, London (08/12/17)

• Line-Up: Moulettes & 9Bach (Double Header) with special guest Ayanna Witter-Johnson.
• Date: 8th December, 2017
• Location: Cadogan Hall, Sloane Square, London.
• Website: http://www.moulettes.co.uk/
• Website: http://www.9bach.com/
• Website: http://www.ayannamusic.com/
• Review By: Gary Smith (LCM)

The grand Cadogan Hall a stone's throw from London's Sloane Square played host to two of the UK's most original and innovative bands. This wondrous double header was magic in the making. 

AYANNA WITTER-JOHNSON

To open the evening there was a mini set from MOBO nominated Ayanna-Witter Johnson. She came to stage rocking a 'Grace Jones' vibe, all dressed in black. I really enjoyed her collection of orchestral RnB, Soul, Jamaican folk, redefined pop and cello looped songs, all with a classical twist. Graduating with a first from both Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and the Manhattan School of Music, Ayanna was a participant in the London Symphony Orchestra’s Panufnik Young Composers Scheme and become an Emerging Artist in Residence at London’s Southbank Centre. She was a featured artist with Courtney Pine’s Afropeans: Jazz Warriors and became the only non-American to win Amateur Night Live at the legendary Apollo Theatre in Harlem, NYC.

9BACH

After a short break the dynamic and exciting Welsh band 9Bach took to the stage. They deservedly won the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for best album for their excellent collection of Welsh language songs called 'Tincian' in 2015. I have been a big fan of their music since then. 

9Bach was originally formed by Lisa-Jen and Martin Hoyland in 2005. The name is a play on numbers and words. Lisa comments: '9 is as in Nain, (pronounced nine), which means grandmother in the North of Wales, Bach means little and is also a term of endearment in Welsh. In one language 9 is something so mundane as a number, but in Welsh Nain is a cozy, family orientated lovely thing: your grandmother is a person we can relate to and visualise.'

The set opened with the beautiful and almost hypnotic 'Llyn Du' (Black Lake) the opening track from their latest album 'Anian'. It was inspired by a painting Iwan Bala that incorporates words from 'Un Nos Ola Leuad' (One Moonlit Night) by Caradog Prichard. It's a song sung by the Queen of the Black Lake, the Queen of Snowdonia. She has a manic mind, racing, forever waiting for the beautiful one. She's trapped, eternally pregnant, enslaved and left there as her thighs embrace the whirling mist and breasts caress the clouds. 

A song sung from the perspective of a poacher is the central theme of 'Yr Olaf'. It's inspired by the picture of 'Sudan', the world's last male white Rhino. How does it feel to kill the last of something? What kind of person are you and what are you made of? Why are we so obsessed with destroying everything that is beautiful in this world? 

'Anian' is the title track from their latest album. It's a Welsh word which carries the idea of 'nature, the natural order, natural morality, the natural world, creation. What you are made of, your soul and bones and how you connect with other people. Wonderful three part harmonies, distorted electric guitar and funky backing.

'Babi'r Eirlys' (Snowdrop Baby) is based on a book by Jerry Hunter called Gwreiddyn Chwerw (Bitter Root). A woman in the late 1890's give birth at home in the middle of the night in extreme weather. The wind is howling and crashing. It is a difficult labour that panics the father. He comes racing up and down the stairs, banging his feet in anger and frustration. The only comfort the women has is the sweet smell of the snowdrops in a cup that is by her bed. The lady finally gives birth to a boy, but all is not well and the baby is small, sickly and disabled. It is instant love from the mother and pure hatred by the father. He insists she put the baby under the bed to die by the morning. He has no wish to bring this strange looking baby into their lives and wishes him dead. She is weak, confused and scared. She complies. In her exhaustion and pain, she kisses him and cries, then bends over in agony and places him under the bed. But by the morning in her sleep, she has subconsciously picked up the baby and placed him on her breast. In the morning the mother and baby wake up together and they are both heathly.  The mother sings this song to her grown up son who is a beautiful and talented man. It is a truthful ode to her boy, explaining what happen that night. 

Next was the wonder 'Pebyll' with its dark themes and  is a ruin in Llanddewi, Brefi. The song was written after discovering this derelict but beautiful building on a walk. It is a fantasy song about who may have lived there. A young girl with her grandmother (Nain). The child sleeps it her grandmothers arms, the fire turnings to ashes by the morning, where the fieldfare, thrush and sparrow feed on the nearby threshold, the snowdrops push themselves through the black soil to make Nain happy

The dark and moody 'lwybrau' (Pathways) is taken from a poem called Llwybrau Unig by William Griffiths, Hen Brac. This poor man has no soulmates. He is struggling with life. He is walking paths and feels nothing, things have changed and too many friends have been lost. The person walks and visits the gravestones of loved ones and wishes he was buried deep like them, This world is no longer theirs and the person feels comfort by nothing but 'angau' (death) and wishes not to be a burden to anyone. This person is very lonely although the world is full of people. The mood is created with distorted electric guitar providing the dark mid-range and harp melody highlighting the top notes. 

Plentyn (Child) tells the story of the stolen aboriginal children of Australia which happened up into the late 70's. The Film 'The Rabit Proof Fence' is based on the events. A child is snatched from her mother's breast by fierce men laughing. They hold her skinny arms too tight and throw her in a car, her black eyes and cheeks pressed against the glass. Screaming for her mother. Her mother is kicked and thrown to the ground and covered in red dust, hollering and screaming for her child. The mother sings 'to please remember me when she is grown up', knowing she will never see her child again. She misses her daughters 'just woken up face' and the smile she first gave in the morning. It is an imaginary story about an Aboriginal child based on real shocking events. It is a story song originally written in Australia accented with its powerful 'Hey-I-I-A' chants.

Described as a hate song to a local farmer, 'Llwynog' (Fox) references Gyrn Wigau which is a summit amongst the Carneddau. The fox stands still at the foot of this mountain hiding behind the rushes. He's escaped the shot of the gun and is much faster than the farmer's dog. The carcass of the lamb stains the stream red whilst the fox returns in triumph and head towards the Carneddau, back to his home in the earth. This is a victory song to the fox, with its pulsating baseline and underlying drum rhythms.

The haunting 'Cyfaddefa' (An Admission) explores the themes of the old Greek Rembetika songs, the underground songs that arose from the hash dens, prisons and brothels. The protagonist is imprisoned and is pleading for help before realizing bitterly, as everyone ignores her, that we are all guilty. We ignore all the bad stuff that's happening. It had a real Middle Eastern flavour with its hammered ducimer and block accents. I loved the songs build to it's explosive finish.  

'Wedi Torri' (It's Broken) is a song about seeing someone you love in a bad state. In this song the loved one is a broken man. It's the panic that sets in when you see this in someone, that haunted look on their face, the empty eyes and hiding from everyone. Jen sings about the guilt, the self-blame, the dry mouth and sending you off to somewhere dark, so you end up with two broken people.

MOULETTES

The final part of the show belonged to the Moulettes, an exciting and innovative group of four multi-instrumentalists, Hannah Miller on 5 string cello, vocals, synths, and autoharp, Raevennan Husbandes on electric guitar and vocals, Ollie Austin on drums, guitar, synth and vocals, and Jim Mortimore on bass, double bass, moog and vocals. Their sound is quite unique, blending elements of progressive and heavy rock with neo-classicism, perfect harmony vocals and with super fingered guitar work mixed against bombastic drums, bass, and cello that adds a musical depth to the sound.

This was one of the last dates on their 'Preternatural’ album tour. A name comes from Latin and carries the idea of ‘beyond nature (and beyond fate)’. “Suspended between the mundane and the miraculousin a domain of wonder & marvel. Strange specimens evoke questions about the natural order... they provoke the spirit of investigation. Phenomena that fall “between the known and the unknowable"

Very few bands have the creative range and work ethic of Moulettes, skillfully blending their mix of acoustic and electric instruments. Lead singer and songwriter Hannah Miller creates an otherworldly framework in which fantastical characters move between the realms of nature, magic and science and out of that Preternatural was born, an eclectic 11-track opus for the Natural World and the strange and beautiful creatures in it. December 2017 marsk the concluding chapter of Moulettes’ two-year Preternatural tour, and the last chance to see the astounding live show that has taken the band across Europe from Poland to Malta and across Canada from Nova Scotia to Victoria Island.

The Moulettes positively exploded into the stage with their opening number the rich, clever and expansive 'Under Water Painter', taken from their latest album. It came complete with it's very catchy siren like 'Wa-Oh's'. It's themed on the strange creatures who live way down in the dark and depths of the ocean. It reminded me of almost a electro-prog version of BBC series Blue Planet 2. Next up was the very clever and descriptive 'Coral' with it's 'we are a force of nature........we can not control.....can control' refrain. The very important coral reefs are home to a quarter of all marine species. The song dealt with the themes of symbiosis & diversity, hypocrisy and responsibility vs short-term thinking.

Next was a song based on the subject of mind control and propaganda, a very apt topic for today's world, 'Parasite' with it's very haunting cello lines had and an almost Middle Eastern feel. Hannah's lead vocals adding a further Kate Bush like layer. It is a very 'other worldly' song, which which would sit very happily on a dystopian 'Bladerunner' soundtrack. The lovely and clever Pufferfish Love followed with it's rich instrumental layers and Rae taking lead vocals. Deep cello bass lines underpin the central melody and I also really liked the interesting percussion. One of my favourite Moulette songs is their gorgeous 'Songbird', with it's rich three part harmonies. The song is about making decision and following your muse and it is taken from their 2012 album 'The Bear's Revenge'. I loved the stunning cello solo from Hannah.

The soaring 'Medusa' is another trademark 'other worldly' and richly layered track, discussing immortality and rapture. The very catchy phrase 'As far as the eye can see' winds its way throughout the song. The underlying incantations creating a spiritual quality. The keyboard and cello led 'Right of Passage' explores being born curious and the value of education by nature. 

Next was the powerful big, bad, bold and theatrical 'Behemooth', named after one of the huge ancient creatures of the past. It's the massive opening track to the new album. A modern prog-rock classic!

Exploring the idea of being being two worlds in a 'dreamscape' is the premise of 'Hidden World'. If you have seen the film 'Inception', then you have very good feel for this song. I really enjoyed Rae operatic style fill. "There’s a hidden world beneath your feet, In the hairline cracks of the gold mine. Three and a half hours down below the crust. Patterns realign.........Open the door to the last unexplored supernatural kingdom far from the sun. So far from what we imagine. All the impossible things we have done. A strange phenomenon" 

One of the highlight of the Moulettes 2014 album 'Constellations' was the very powerful 'Lady Vengeance', so I was very happy to see it included in the set. The original has great and memorable bassoon bass lines (see below).

The excellent set ended with the explosive and gypsy jazz flavoured 'Requiem' from their 2010 album 'Moulettes', sequeing unexpected into a classic cover of Led Zepplin's 'Kashmir'. Some super electric guitar licks from Rae on this one.

Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys - Cecil Sharp House, London (29/11/17)

ALBUM LAUNCH

Photo credit: Rob Bridge (Redwood Photography)

• Date: 29th November, 2017
• Line-up: Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys with support from The Jellyman's Daughter
• Location: Kennedy Hall, Cecil Sharp House, London
• Website: http://samkelly.org/
• Website: https://www.thejellymansdaughter.com/
• Review By: Gary Smith (LCM)

Sam Kelly and his very talented ensemble the 'Lost Boys' are one of the best live Folk and acoustic bands in the UK. Already festival favourites and the 'young guns' of the folk circuit with their infectious blend of Folk, Americana and Irish favoured music. In Cecil Sharp House the spiritual home of UK Folk, they chose the perfect venue both to showcase their music and to release their excellent new highly acclaimed second studio album 'Pretty Peggy'. Don't be too surprised if they are nominated for best band at next year's BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. The 'Lost Boys' boasts an all-star cast of Jamie Francis (The Changing Room, Stark), Graham Coe (Jellyman's Daughter), Toby Shaer (Seth Lakeman, Carousel), Ciaran Algar (Greg Russell & Ciaran Algar), Achie Churchill-Moss (MMR) and Evan Carson (The Willows, The Changing Room, Ange Hardy). 

Opening the night were a wonderful Americana/Folk duo from Edinburgh called The Jellyman's Daughter, which I had the great pleasure of first meeting at the Harrison in Kings Cross a few years ago. Emily Kelly (acoustic guitar/vocals) and Graham Coe (cello/mandolin/vocals) have certainly gone from strength to strength since our last meeting, with their fusion of bluegrass, post-rock, folk and the good kind of pop. Hopefully in the Spring of next year they will be releasing their new second studio album called 'Dead Reckoning', via a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign.

Performing around a retro bi-directional condenser microphone they played a set of favourites from their 2014 self titled debut release and also a taster of songs from the new album. I really enjoyed their interweaving vocal harmonies, which were complimented by a very interesting mix of cello and acoustic guitar. Graham's cello providing a very catchy percussive back-beat.  Stylistically their set reminded me of Lewis & Leigh.

Graham was also one of the busiest people in the night, as he is also part of the very talented Lost Boys.

After a short intermission Sam and The Lost Boys exploded onto the stage with the very catchy high tempo traditional whaling shanty the 'Greenland Whale' sometimes know as 'The Whale Catchers' or 'The Twenty Third of March'.  It's a real toe-tapper with a great hooks and sing-a-long chorus.

Sam's set then followed quite faithfully the new album in order. The love interest of the traditional song 'The Bony Lass of Fyvie' gives the album it's name, 'Pretty Peggy'. On the album the band are joined on the track by the wonderful Cara Dillion who provides some of the vocals which perfect complements Sam and the band. "Unfortunately" said Sam "Cara can't be here tonight, as she is no longer with us....that sounds really bad......I mean she is not with our band.....she currently on her tour", Sam deputised perfectly singing both parts. Next up was 'Angeline The Baker' (Roud 1834) was written by Stephen Foster for the Christy Minstrels and first published in 1850. The original Appalachian tune laments the loss of a female slave sent away by her owners. 'When The Reivers Call' is a song written by Jamie Francis and was inspired by the Scottish/English border 'reiving' in the middle ages. The terms comes from the Scots and Northern English dialect and means to go on a cross border plundering raid. "Basically people would come over the border to steal your money and PlayStations. As Jamie is from Cumbria, it's basically a song about his childhood" Sam joked.

The Irish traditional love song with the genders swapped 'If I Were A Blackbird' received a new arrangement from Sam and Chris Woods. Sam related learning this one from his grandfather who started his love of folk music. We return to a nautical theme for 'The Shining Ship', a dark tale in which a lady's lover long lost at sea, returns to her and persuades her to come away with him to a distant land. After boarding the ship, in the true traditions of folk music, she quickly realizes not all is as it seems......[spolier alert] One of the varients of this traditional song is called 'The Demon Ship'. The personal and tender 'Chasing Shadows' written by Sam, is a song for a friend and for anyone going through a tough time.

There is a case of the same mistaken identity as The Kinks 'Lola' in the next song 'The Close Shave', a very clever and funny variation on the traditional song 'Barrack Street'. It tells the unfortunate tale of gold miners in the a New Zealand town, gross deception, heavy drinking, robbery and a never ending cycle. A couple of tunes next 'Josh's Slip' by Toby and 'Rookery Lane' by Ciaran which form the 'Shy Guy's Serve' set.

It's always great to see a cover of the now Nobel prize winning singer-songwriter Bob Dylan in the set. This time it was 'Crash On The Levee' their version of the lesser known song, 'Down In The Flood (Crash On The Levee)'. 'The Keeper' is always an interesting choice to cover. It is a tradition song about a gamekeeper chasing and catching deer, but listen to it closely and it's like a 'Carry On' version of a folk song, full of double meaning and euphemisms. The song is always a fantastic live favourite with it's band call and audience response. The excellent main set finished with a song called 'The Rose' which was translated from the French song 'Le Beau Rosier'. First heard when Sam played mandolin for Belgian band 'Naragonia' in 2016 and fell in love with the song.

For the encore Sam and the band played another firm favourite from their self titled debut album the uptempo 'Jolly Waggoners', followed by the rousing and high energy Irish tune 'Banish Misfortune'. It had the audience on their feet and clapping along......and ended with a well deserved standing ovation.

A fantastic evening of music in the company of some of the UK's finest young folk musicians. Catch them on tour if you can!

Paul Mosley - Green Note, London (16/11/17)

WINTERTIDE EP LAUNCH

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• Line-up: Paul Mosley with special guests Robin Elliott, Jack Harris, Esther Dee, Raevennan Husbandes, Anna Unwin, Darren Allford and Catherine Earnshaw
• Location: Green Note, London
• Date: 16th November, 2017
• Website: https://www.paulmosley.com/
• Website: http://jackharrismusic.com/
• Website: http://www.robinelliottmusic.co.uk/
• Review By: Gary Smith (LCM)
• Photos by: Mike Watts

An evening spent in the company of the excellent singer-songwriter Paul Mosley is always a special and very worthwhile experience. After releasing his fantastic critically acclaimed and epic folk opera 'The Butcher' last year, Paul returns with a number of new projects including this his new seasonal five-track EP 'Wintertide' which is released on the 17th November.

The launch was an great opportunity not only to showcase Paul's new EP, but also to celebrate some of the wonderful songs from Paul's long and distinguished musically career and finally to look to the future with a taster of his forthcoming 2018 releases. The night also included a host of special and very talented guests including two great support sets from Robin Elliott and Jack Harris. Plus members of Paul's ensemble The Red Meat Orchestra.

The evening was opened by London based singer-songwriter Robin Elliott, who originally hails from the North West of England. The always busy Robin has written material performed by Ben Walker, Samantha Whates and Sophie Jamieson amongst others and his music and songs have featured on the soundtrack of the feature film 'A Very British Gangster' and on Channel 4's 'Cutting Edge'.

His set included songs from his latest release 'At Sunset' as well as his 2015 EP release 'Green Ginger Wine'. Wearing a red smock coat and carrying his Gibson acoustic guitar, Robin's opening words to the audience were 'I don't have much time, so I'm going to smash out the hits'. He duly followed with atmospheric 'William V' with it's strong narrative themed on the early 1980's London riots. Vocally and stylistically it reminded me a little of Sting. The retrospective and gentle 'Par Avion' showed off Robin's lovely vocal style and soft finger-picking, with a equally fine arrangement. Post party blues and the effects of a big night out where discussed next in 'Gentle Chunks', with it's vivid and poetic imaginary. After a brief interlude describing why Kolo Toure's face superimposed over the Milky Way would be his favourite stage backdrop. Robin then played one of my favourites from his back catalogue 'Lean Times', a song about daily suffering and hardship, accepting that things won’t be getting better any time soon. It came complete with a mouth trumpet solo. Hot off the 'musical' press was a new song 'Mute The Button' recorded a few weeks ago in Brighton. Robin described it as like 'Metropolis - The Musical'. "Everything is modern and big" he said. He played a backing track to the song from his trusty laptop, complete with metronome clicks and female harmony vocals. He was 'The Singer at The End Of The Song'.

Following Robin was another LCM favourite, the very talented Jack Harris. The craftsman songwriter, vocalist and guitar player, who has been described by Anais Mitchell as "a priest of song" and we would agree. Jack has perfect comic timing and provided a masterclass in stagecraft including sharing with the audience that it's a trade secret to always mention your name three times in a set. This all too short section of the evening started with the wonderful 'Medicine Bow' followed by a new song 'What Am I Gonna Do About You? getting an early outing. Jack then contemplated on how he would like to be remembered. What would be his musical legacy and inheritance? Originally he said he liked the idea of building an adventure playground, but now after much thought Jack has finally set his heart on a memorial library. Time will tell if that dream will come true.....but for now his songs are becoming his rich legacy.

One of my favourite songs from Jack's previous back catalogue is the beautiful written, reflective and gentle 'Donegal', so I was extremely pleased to see in included in his set. Jack then raises the mood for a toe-tapping, bluesy and Irish Americana favoured Andalusian song about 'good time girl' 'Molly Bloom'. "Hey Molly Bloom you mountain flower....They're wild about your loving, you'll have your fun and it might as well be me as anyone". Just like a true pro that he is, after breaking a guitar string tuning just before his final song, Jack put his guitar down and launched into a unaccompanied song. It was his version of the Dave Sudbury classic about the very famous racing pigeon 'The King Of Rome', which was first made famous by June Tabor......the song that is....not the pigeon!

Not only was Paul celebrating the launch of his Wintertide EP, but also it was ten years since the release of his debut solo album 'Fear' in 2007. It has also been fifteen years since the release of 'The Swimming Zoo' in 2002 with his previous group indie folk cult band Moses. It was fitting then that Paul's first song was '100 Swans', his first solo song in Moses. 'Wintersun' followed the first track from his 'Wintertide' EP. It has a real 'Laurel Canyon' late 60's retro feel about it with catchy hooks and dream like melody. It would sit very happily on a CSNY album. 

With it's lullaby like melody the 'The Romantic' is the super title track from the Paul's 2011 'The Romantic album. For this one Paul was joined on stage by the very talented Anna on cello. Tackling a more serious and timely issue was 'Sumberland' written for a very close friend who took his own life. Paul said that 'International Men's Day' which sounded like a Richard Herring punchline was a very important event' Especially discussing on the subjects of mental heath and the problems with modern toxic masculinity. The album version of the song has a beautiful harp section by Tom Moth.

Paul then explained how after recording 'Sumberland', Florence from Florence & The Machine stole his harpist Tom. "I wouldn't have minded" said Paul "But I had to learn the 'bloody' ukulele!!". He cheekily included a section in the next song 'This Way For Fun' of Florence's 'You've Got The Love'.......adding the line "Yes....You've got the love........and you've got my harp player too!"

One of the lead tracks from Paul's highly acclaimed epic folk opera 'The Butcher' followed the lovely 'Satellites' where Paul was joined on vocals by Jack. The atmospheric and haunting duet with Esther on 'Ghosts Ships' is one of my favourites from Paul's 2011 'The Romantic' album. I love the beautiful operatic solo from Esther and the poignant last line "Just like ghost ships, we both refuse to die". Paul explained that Esther, who was in the super group The Medieval Baebes, shared the same management for a while. "She was the best one in the group so I pinched her". Paul joked "If it's not nailed down, I'll have it!" 

Raevannan and Anna then joined Paul for a song from his excellent 2013 'A Chattering of Birds' album with the very special 'Skylark Above Me'. Paul then apologised and said that "I don't normally talk too much between songs......it all gets a bit panto". "Oh no it doesn't!" came the reply from the audience

A glimpse into the future next as Paul performed four tracks from his forthcoming 2018 project 'The Loneliest Whale in The World" #TheWhaleProject. It was based on an story of a unidentified whale with a call at 52 Hertz, which is much higher and at a completely different frequency from any other known whale. So sadly no other whale can hear it and answer its call. It is now thought that the whale might be a very rare Blue Whale/Fin Whale hybrid or even deaf. The first song of the #Whale set was super 'Shadowboxing' followed by 'We All Sing The Same Song' with it's harmony singing intro. Paul said that it was inspired by child tourists all with same clothes, hats and backpacks moving around London like shoals of fish. This was followed by the lovely 'Silence Said The Whale' and finally the title track 'The Loneliest Whale in the World', written from the viewpoint of the 52 Hz whale.

As it was the Wintertide EP launch it was fittting that the last song of the main set was its title track. Paul's new single is based on the famous Christmas carol 'I saw three ships go sailing by...''  Paul described it as “an epic journey through the eyes of three captains and the ominous dangers that come with the seas.” Check out below the great new innovative 'Wintertide' video with Jack Harris, Esther Dee and Josienne Clarke guesting as the three captains.

For the encore, Paul returned with a heartfelt and reflective song about unrequited love 'Mama's Boy' with it's powerful refrain "Please don't turn away from me now".

It was another excellent evening in the the company of Paul and his very talented ensemble The Red Meat Orchestra, wonderfully supported by Jack and Robin and special guests Esther and Rae. A brilliant set of songs from Paul's outstanding musical career and a preview of the new music to come......I can't wait to hear the studio version of the next EP....I'm going to have a #whale of a time!

Show Of Hands - Union Chapel, London (09/11/17)

• Line Up: Show Of Hands with special guest Kirsty Merryn
• Location: Union Chapel, London
• Date: 9th November, 2017
• Website: https://www.showofhands.co.uk/
• Website: http://kirstymerryn.com/
• Review By: Gary Smith (LCM)

Steve Knightley, Phil Beer and Miranda Skyes better known as the multi-ward winning Show Of Hands, are one of the best Folk groups in the UK. They have honed their skills and craft over very many years together to create a fantastic night of music and entertainment. Their gig at the Union Chapel as part of The London Folk & Roots Festival and their 'Cathedrals Tour' was one of the best live performances I have seen from them. An evening of pure magic starting from their opening unaccompanied a capella walking through the audience to the stage to their very well deserved final standing ovation. Their music is thought provoking and sometimes hard hitting but always wonderfully written and presented. They blend traditional and contemporary folk with themes and subject matter which really resonate and are timely in highlighting important and topical issues of the day. 

Introduced personally by Steve, it was also a very important night for their special guest, London singer-songwriter Kirsty Merryn who was also launched her debut album 'She & I', themed on a collection of stories about inspirational women. Kirsty is getting a lot of attention for her music recently with a bursary from EFDSS, festival appearances and now a series of support appearances on the current Show of Hands UK 'Cathedrals Tour'. Kirsty's music is heavily anchored in the folk tradition, but also has influences from her background in jazz and classical music. She also has a fantastic pure crystalline vocal and delighted the sell-out Chapel audience with her delicately introspective piano based songs and sophisticated musical style. 

Murder ballads are a staple of Folk music and Kirsty's opening song was 'The Outlandish Knight', where unusually the heroine survives to tell the tale, unlike in this case the unfortunate Knight. 'Winter In Ontario' followed, one of the lead tracks from her debut EP 'Just The Winter', about being snowed-in in Canada. Celebrating the life of the author Jane Austin 'Love in A City Room' also taken from her 2013 debut EP, explores the practical side of love in a unromantic age. She continued her classy set with the unaccompanied 'The Birds Are Drunk', another folk murder ballad, this time based on a Persian poem. Kirsty's family was her next inspiration for 'The Pit and the Pugilist' about her great great grandfather Tommy Mitchell, who won a major boxing match and received a gold watch as his prize.

One of the highlights of the set was Kirsty's new single 'Forfarshire', a wonderful live duet with Steve Knightley. The song is based on the life of Grace Darling an English lighthouse keeper's daughter, famed for participating in the rescue of survivors from the shipwrecked 'Forfarshire' in 1838. It also explores the life of her father William. Kirsty completed her set with the wonderful 'A Song Of Parting', which is currently a free download for joining her mailing list. Something we highly recommend.

Walking slowly through the audience in the aisles to the stage singing the 'The Old Lynch Way', Steve, Phil and Miranda created their own piece of magic. They vocals rang around throughout the Chapel with the song's fantastic 'call and response'. It was one of the many 'goose-bump' moments on the night.

Once on stage the band started with the very moving and atmospheric 'The Preacher', first recorded on their 1995 'Lie of the Land' album. Show Of Hands have a strong social conscience and this was evident in their next song 'Cold Heart Of England' written by Steve in a Tesco's in Bridport in 2002. It discusses how negative changes often created by big business lead to the determent of local communities. Also very timely was a song about Halloween 'Hallows Eve' with strong audience participation joining in on the choruses.

'The Gamekeeper' is a story about a soldier in the Devonshire regiment in the Battle of the Somme. It was also the song that started SOH's critically acclaimed WW1 'Cententary' project. The song includes parts of the lyrics of the 'The Keeper' and 'Love is Handsome'. Always a firm favorite is Liam Clancy's famous 'The Parting Glass', in this version it has new lyrics from Steve but coupled with the original tune. This segued perfectly into Chris Hoben's 'The Lily & The Rose' with Miranda on lead vocals. 'No Secrets' is a new song written by Steve after a Folk singer friend asked him for one piece of advise on getting married. Phil said 'Don't' and Steve said 'Have no secrets', which became the basis of the song. Then it was Phil turn on lead vocals on with 'Exile', which Phil described as the best song that Steve has ever written. Their twin acoustic guitars playing of lead and rhythm working in perfect synchronicity.

The band over the years have developed a network of friends wherever they stay on tour, Stevie described them jokingly as 'safe houses'. The next song 'Smile, She Said' was inspired by photos changing over time in the home of one of the families they often visited. Kirsty joined them on piano and vocals. Always another very atmospheric song was Sidney Carters 'Crow On The Cradle' and SOH's stunning version was no different, with on Phil lead vocals and Steve on Bouzouki.

In 'IED: Science and Nature', disease is sinisterly portrayed as an unexploded bomb waiting to be detonated by forces unknown amid ghostly echoes of the traditional song 'The Trees They Do Grow High' and the gospel-tinged 'The Worried Well'. Tiny decisions and random chances often having a great impact on life. The traditional Celtic ballad 'The Blue Cockade' features a young man being forced to enlist in the army and wanting to return to his true love. The song then deals with the aftermath and the sadness and pain of his promised lover. Some really lovely harmonies and guitar solos on this one.

For the encore SOH chose another song with a current theme 'The Flood', dealing with the forces of nature, man's interference and the consequences. It then moved at the end into a William Blake poem. The evening finished as it had started with the band moving off stage and standing at the front singing unaccompanied the sea shanty working song 'Keep Hauling' with everyone in the venue joining in with the 'call and response'. Another goose bump moment as Steve, Phil and Miranda left walking down the Chapel aisles singing together with their enthusiastic audience.

Another standing ovation followed.

A very classy, magical and special evening by one of the UK's leading Folk groups and a fabulous debut album launch from a new potential star of the future.

Edgelarks - The Sound Lounge, Tooting (02/11/17)

'Edgelarks' - Album Launch

• Line-up: Edgelarks (Phillip Henry & Hannah Martin) with special guest The Little Unsaid
• Date: 02/11/17
• Location: The Sound Lounge, Tooting
• Website: http://www.edgelarks.co.uk/
• Website: http://www.thelittleunsaid.com/
• Review By: Gary Smith (LCM)

To paraphrase a line in William's Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliette "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet". This would certain apply to 'Edgelarks', the new band name of Radio 2 2014 Folk award winning duo Phillip Henry & Hannah Martin. Not only have they decided to change and simplify their duo name, but they have also chosen to release new a 'watershed' album of the same name. Last night marked their London launch at the very popular community music venue The Sound Lounge in Tooting, South West London. I always think that album launches are very special gigs and this one was no exception. Their new name 'Edgelarks' carries the idea of 'singing about or from the margins'. It's an album about transitional spaces, liminal places, people and times, the straddling of boundaries and thresholds, crossroads and borderlands, travelers and refugees, dusk and dawn. 'Edgelarks' is an album with the same very high quality musicianship, production and songwriting that you would expect from one of the best live Folk duos in the UK.

Phil and Hannah were joined on the night by a musician who played a very important role in co-producing and bringing the album together, John Elliot aka the excellent 'The Little Unsaid'.  This multi-instrumentalist also played drums, percussion, piano, Moog synth and harmonium on the album. Completing the high quality ensemble of musicians on the album were Lukas Drinkwater on Electric Bass/Double Bass and Niall Robinson on Tabla. 

John opened the evening with a great selection of music from his now vast and wonderful back catalogue. It was a rare solo gig for John, as he normally plays with his band. We were treated to a masterclass in musicianship and looping as John layered his instruments and vocals to form a rich and sweeping soundscape. Opening the set was 'Hunger' taken from his 2014 EP 'A Filthy Hunger'. I make no secret of the fact that I love John's music and his latest album Imagined Hymns & Chaingang Matras, is one of my favourite releases this year. It's fresh, vibrant, powerful and elegantly crafted. One of it's two title tracks followed 'Imagined Hymns' an atmospheric track with John vocals floating over soft finger-picked acoustic guitar.  'Dig' wass full of intensity. Demonstrating the full emotional weight John's music can carry. Again beautifully written 'Everyday I wake into this miracle I find. Your accident of cells somehow exploding next to mine. How we dance through the seasons now. How we gently ebb and flow and some days how we ride, the frenzied tides on which we're thrown.......to the moment we fall from the moment we first rise. We've got to dig the happiness from our own landfill lives.' The newest song in the set was the alternative themed love song 'Sweet Kind Of Hurt'. The deep and reflective 'Get On The Other Side Of That Door' continued a personal and rich look at life and working your way through the many problems of modern living. "Sirens out there howling loud, midnight in London Town. I stand here naked now in your headlight eyes. I was weary of the tail chase. Hunting down my mistakes.......We live the fantasy of living free". This wonderful set ended with a piano ballad 'Day is Golden'. It's a look into John's inner deep feeling, struggles and demons. It's one of the most honest and personal songs I've heard in awhile.  "I have no home, but the day is golden, The sun is up but I have seldom felt colder. It's fine being alive some days.....I am hanging by a thread, my friend, today" 

After a short break, Phil and Hannah were welcomed to the stage to perform a fantastic set of both songs from the new 'Edgelarks' album and some older audience favourites including Silbury Hill, Lamps Trimmed & Burning and The Nailmaker's Strike.

The set began with the first single from the album the very powerful 'No Victory', which we featured recently as one of our LCM songs of the day. The tender and personal 'Undelivered' stretches itself out over seven-minutes, a story inspired by a cache of seventeenth-century letters discovered in the Netherlands played out over gently plucked strings. It is a telling and wonderful example of music’s ability to humanise and personalise history. Taken from their excellent 2013 'Mynd' album 'Silbury Hill' is always a live favourite, with it's combination of banjo and dobro. The song is about Silbury Hill, a prehistoric artificial chalk mound near Avebury. The unusual habits of Californian Bush Jay is the subject of the next song 'Song Of The Jay'. The bird has be observed to hold 'funerals' for other birds, regardless of their species. The song is clever extended metaphor for inclusivity and acceptance.  It also features the chaturangui, tabla and acoustic guitar.

Inspired by a trip to Tasmania where they saw a sign saying Paradise (15 Miles) - No Where Else (5 miles). 'Signposts' deals with homesickness and the power of music to console and to bring people together. It also showcases Hannah's deft, melancholy fiddle playing, with Phil adding his skillful acoustic guitar and harmonica playing. 

The film the 'Big Short' was made around the 2008 banking crash. The film saw Brad Pitt in one scene at Phil and Hannah's local pub in Exmouth. 'Caravans' acts as a kind of creation myth for the band, and on another level offers a sage manifesto for living in harmony and alongside and with the natural world. The song saw John join the duo on keys with Phil on slide guitar + stomp box and Hannah on Shurti and lead vocals.

This segued perfectly into a Cornish language song 'Estren' which means 'Strangers'. Its story tells of a travelling stranger with something of a reputation as a ladies’ man. But despite its age-old themes, it carries great relevance to the modern world where intolerance and fear of the foreigner still hold sway.In 'Iceberg' Phil's beat-box & harmonica playing cleverly underpins a thoughtful exploration of human coldness. 'What's The Life Of A Man' is a traditional piece which reminds us of our insignificance in the grander scheme of nature. It directs us to find acceptance and comfort in our fate. The treatment of women at the frighteningly named Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre is explored in 'Yarl's Wood'. The song was first written and performed as part of the very popular 'Shake The Chain's' project. Hannah was part of this very popular ensemble brought together by Greg Russell.

Always a very popular favourite is the song of hope, the traditional gospel blues song 'Lamps Trimmed & Burning' First made famous by Blind Willy Johnson in 1928. It alludes to the Bible parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins. It's is always a joy to watch live with Phil on harmonica and beatbox plus stomp box. A marvel in co-ordination and skill. Also taken from their Mynd album was the very popular and high energy 'The Nailmaker's Strike'. It's a firm staple of their live set with its audience participation call and response. For their well deserved encore they fittingly chose the last song on the new Edgelarks album 'The Good Earth' with Phil on his chaturangui and Hannah on her acoustic guitar.

Reg Meuross - St. Pancras Old Church, London (28th July, 2017)

FARAWAY PEOPLE - ALBUM LAUNCH

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• Line-Up: Reg Meuross
• Location: St. Pancras Old Church, London
• Date: 28th July, 2017
• Website: http://www.regmeuross.com/
• Review By: Gary Smith (LCM)

The launch of 'Faraway People' marked the second in a trilogy of solo albums from Somerset based singer-songwriter Reg Meuross.  Simply put it is Reg's music at its most pure and intimate. The historic St. Pancras Old Church in London provided the perfect setting for a night with one of England's master musical storytellers.

The new 'Faraway People' album is a strong insightful comment on life in an ever changing and uncertain world. Lessons to be learnt from the past are also explored, echoing warnings that resonate through time and are still relevant today. Among the protest and acute observations though are moments of beauty, love and good humour. With just an acoustic guitar, banjo, dulcimer, mouth organ and Reg's vocals, we were taken on a perceptive and personal journey of discovery. We were also treated to a two sets featuring songs from the new album, unreleased songs and some classics from Reg's back catalogue.

After Reg's nightmare seven hour car journey from his home in the West Country, it seemed very apt that the first song of the set was the unreleased banjo and mouth organ led 'Songs About A Train', which echoed classic Bob Dylan. Maybe this could be the preferred means of transport next time.

Inspired by the Bob Dylan song 'The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carol' and continuing some of its themes of murder, racism and lack of justice. Reg's 'Lonesome Death Of Michael Brown' is based on the true story of a 18 year old black man killed by a white police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014. He was shot after Michael Brown reportedly robbed a convenience store. The initially disputed circumstances of the shooting sparked existing tensions in the predominantly black city, where protests and civil unrest erupted. A St. Louis County grand jury decided not to indict Darren Wilson and he was exonerated of criminal wrongdoing by the United States Department of Justice.

One of my personal favourites from the new album is the very topical 'Angel In A Blue Dress' exploring the power of music and the current issues within the NHS caused by failing government policy over many years. This is a deeply personal personal account of a hard-working nurse, who listens to music to help her get through the day. Reg described the piecemeal selling off of our health system back in 2015 in his acclaimed song 'England Green & England Grey'

Now available on iTunes https://goo.gl/v5jI0b This one's for all the doctors, nurses, care workers and ambulance service staff and everyone struggling to do good in a beleaguered NHS. On January 11th 2017 I had a message from a friend who is a nurse saying she was huddled in her coat in a cold and drafty corridor in her hospital where a state of emergency had been declared, and she was steeling herself for her shift and the challenges ahead by listening to music. She added that although she felt unwell herself there was no way she could not go in. I wrote this song. What can a song do? I hope at the very least it will offer some acknowledgement to these people who are doing one of the most vital jobs there is, under extreme pressure and in near impossible conditions. I also want to draw attention to the crisis in the NHS. Please listen the song, download the song, please lobby your MP, please let’s do anything we can to stop the gradual privatisation of a service that has been the envy of the world in terms of health care for so long. Reg FULL ARTICLE: goo.gl/6fDLJz CONTACT FOR INTERVIEW/QUOTES: katie@fromthewhitehouse.com Nurse - Angle In A Blue Dress She grabs a cup of coffee And she drops the kids at school She pulls into the car park But every place is full So she blows an hours wages In the public parking lot Just another little piece of her The government has got The drivers sit in silence Clutching mugs of tea ‘What’s up?’, she says. ‘No beds’, they say It's a state of emergency So she pulls her coat around her She puts her headphones in There's only room for music Underneath this skin She's the queen of soul The Diva of Distress Compassion makes her whole She's an angel in a blue blue dress Her brand new friend is dying Last night a new friend died If it wasn't for the music She knows she would've cried She knows about the sickness The loneliness & pain And she knows what doesn't break her Will soon come round again She's the queen of soul The Diva of Distress Compassion makes her whole She's an angel in a blue blue dress Written and played by Reg Meuross January 2019. Thanks to Gunter Pauler, Stockfisch Records for audio recording. www.regmeuross.com

It is always very interesting to learn about the inspirations for songs and Reg's next one the unreleased 'World Being The World' is based on a quote by Ian McShane's character Albert "Swejen" Swearengen, the proprietor of the Gem Saloon in the US TV series 'Deadwood'

In 'Leavin' Alabama' Reg imagines a meeting between two of his heroes Dylan Thomas and Hank Williams. who died within one year of each other in 1952/3.

With it's gentle finger picked acoustic guitar 'For Sophie (This Beautiful Day)' is the moving account about Sophie Scholl an anti-Nazi activist in WW2, who was part of the 'White Rose Movement'. She was convicted of high treason and executed after having been found distributing anti-war leaflets at the University of Munich with her brother Hans. Following her death, a copy of the sixth leaflet was smuggled out of Germany to the UK, where it was used by the Allied Forces. In mid-1943, they dropped over Germany millions of copies of the tract.

The finish the first set was a wonderful story and song from Reg's life on the road with Hank Wangford on his 'No Hall Too Small' UK Tour. It was a great example of Reg's sharp observational qualities. Delightful titled 'Phil Ochs & Elvis Eating Lunch in Morrissons Café' it was a sage tale of mistaken identify and eating lunch in a UK supermarket cafe.

The second half started with another 'Faraway People' album track the gentle and tender love song 'In Your Arms'.  The very topical 'Refugee' explored the current personal plight of refugees fleeing hardships and war in their own country and trying to seek refuge and a safe life with their families. For 'A Quiet Night' another unreleased track Reg turned to his trusty Appalachian dulcimer. It was graceful, delicate and tender.

Reg's next subject is 'Cicero' an influential Roman philosopher, political activist, politician & lawyer, who served as consul in 63 BC. Marcus Tullius Cicero came from a wealthy municipal family of the Roman equestrian order and is considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists. Many of the points about society Cicero wrote about still applies today, almost two thousand years later.

Complimented by SPOC's 10pm chimes, I really loved 'In Dreams'. With it chord structure and melody it had the feel of a softer REM track. When Reg first heard about New Brighton he had a romantic idea about a place like New York's Coney Island, so he wrote a song about one of it's residents the 'New Brighton Girl'. Reg said that he has since visited New Brighton and unfortunately it wasn't like he imagined it be in the song.

The final song of the set was the album's powerful. personal and through-provoking title track 'Faraway People' dealing with the many issues and deaths in the UK due to the current government austerity policies and cuts, which adversely affect the lives of so many people. All individual stories of 'faraway' people with only limited and distant voices. One of the very powerful echoing lines of the song is 'You will be unfit to work when you're dead!'

Returning for a well deserved encore the final song of the evening was a classic, the very catchy 'Man In The Moon' from Reg's 'Short Stories' album.

It was a super evening in the company of one of the UK finest singer-songwriters. 'Faraway People' is topical, thought-provoking and insightful. It's a album which will undoubtedly be another classic in Reg's already outstanding collection.