Recorded at the Plymouth Pavilions in March, Seth Lakemans new live EP sees some of his best-known songs given a full-on, intense orchestral treatment.
Some songs (and singers) might find themselves overwhelmed by the classical approach, but Anne Dudleys arrangements are clever and sympathetic, the BBC Concert Orchestra are top-class, and Lakeman is in his element, his voice balanced nicely with the band.
Delicate string plucks replace the hardier banjo sound on The Blacksmiths Prayer, from Lakemans most recent studio album, Tales from the Barrelhouse. Its dramatic, packed with creepy strings and sinister woodwind motifs.
Strings are also to the fore on the polished Changes, though its the more playful, ascending lines that stand out here. Lady of the Sea is a confident, bold retelling of a maritime disaster, with timpani redolent of the swelling seas and Lakeman in fine voice.
The BBCs brass section gives King & Country a delightfully pompous introduction. The track is still propelled along by choppy guitar, but romantic strings soften the song, making it sound like something from an epic film soundtrack.
Finale Kitty Jay is remarkable. Its devilishly fast fiddle line is played by what sounds like a dozen virtuosos (as opposed to the usual one). Authoritative percussion make it an exciting listen, before a flute flourish caps off an EP that will leave the listener wanting more.
Lakeman and the orchestra suit each other perfectly: it sounds like the musicians involved had a ball - and its very hard indeed not to get swept along with the rapturous reception each song receives.
amclark wins the special Guvera Musical Diversity Award.
Not listening to, but shopping for, music, almost as fun. All nieces & nephews get CDs from my friendly neighborhood record label, Bloodshot, bought from friendly neighborhood rekkid store. Thus:
...The latter for a niece who might be said to match the title of one of Rosie's songs: "Little But I'm Loud"
@BN, is that the first time the issue of plot spoilers has come up on this thread? :-)
Two tracks, each a 20 minute exercise in minor variations of a short repeating loop, thrown up for free (now NYOP) on bandcamp...yet insinuating itself into my best-of-year list.
G. David Sylvian with Robert Fripp & Bill Nelson. (The album appears twice on Guvera - the one with 20 tracks is the full and remastered double album, the other is a release that was cut down to one CD in the transition from vinyl)
@Nereffid, how is that Merton CD? I've been tempted to get it just for nostalgia - I did my undergrad years at Merton.
On first listen it didn't induce the two complaints I sometimes have about such choral collections - that the overall effect is either too same-y or too darned lovely. There's a good variety here (mostly recent compositions but a few Renaissance ones) and nothing outstays its welcome. I'd call it a keeper.
I don't know if the choir sounds anything like what you might have heard in your time at Merton - the review in Gramophone that prompted me to get the album said it's "gone from being a minor player in Oxbridge choral music to becoming one of the most exciting groups in its area".
Between this, Arve Henriksen, and Nils Petter Molvaer, turns out there's this vein of very meditative Norwegian jazz that I really like (and from which recent Norwegian ambient like Pjusk is really not a million miles distant, at least in parts). Anyone know other things I should be looking at?
Comments
G.
GP - note that that's an album, not the 5 EPs compilation that came out last year. It's very good though.
Bright Young Folk review
This is a UK freebie on Amazon - I downloaded it a few days ago but just getting round to playing it completely
One of my 21012 picks
"La R
In case you don't know, Løvsamleren means The Leaf Collector.
G.
GP, I will not tell you how it is, ;-)
G.
Not listening to, but shopping for, music, almost as fun. All nieces & nephews get CDs from my friendly neighborhood record label, Bloodshot, bought from friendly neighborhood rekkid store. Thus:
...The latter for a niece who might be said to match the title of one of Rosie's songs: "Little But I'm Loud"
Two tracks, each a 20 minute exercise in minor variations of a short repeating loop, thrown up for free (now NYOP) on bandcamp...yet insinuating itself into my best-of-year list.
G. David Sylvian with Robert Fripp & Bill Nelson. (The album appears twice on Guvera - the one with 20 tracks is the full and remastered double album, the other is a release that was cut down to one CD in the transition from vinyl)
@Nereffid, how is that Merton CD? I've been tempted to get it just for nostalgia - I did my undergrad years at Merton.
I don't know if the choir sounds anything like what you might have heard in your time at Merton - the review in Gramophone that prompted me to get the album said it's "gone from being a minor player in Oxbridge choral music to becoming one of the most exciting groups in its area".
Guvera.
Craig
- Info @ the Classical N&N thread
G. I found a new thing to love.
Between this, Arve Henriksen, and Nils Petter Molvaer, turns out there's this vein of very meditative Norwegian jazz that I really like (and from which recent Norwegian ambient like Pjusk is really not a million miles distant, at least in parts). Anyone know other things I should be looking at?
Craig
now:
Both Guv'ed.
Eddie Higgins Trio: Christmas Songs