January - February 2006

James William Hindle and James Green – The Goat
http://www.hinah.com
2005 UK (artist) / France (label) Hinah

James Green first came to our attention as a driving force behind the ‘Early Winter’ collective operating out of Sheffield, a wonderful group of musicians making new music without boundaries that crosses alternative acoustic pop, folk and experimentation. This EP is a collaboration by James with solo artist James William Hindle whose debut album is really worth your getting.

This set comprises improvisations mostly made over one day in May 2005. It’s a testament to their playing and sympathy that you would think these pieces were carefully composed. They are acoustic, mostly based around picked acoustic guitar and droning harmonium. However that doesn’t really hint at the melody and sonic combinations they produce. If there is a folk aspect, it’s as much in the romantic melodies of mainland Europe or the explorations of John Fahey. It has that direct feeling, of two musicians playing simply and in the moment that when done well is so wonderful.

Being improvised It is often close to jazz or free music but without the confrontational aspects associated with ‘free’ music. Indeed it’s quite seductive, intimate, quite, alternatively restful and more tense. Flashes of harp, droning bowls and the like embellish the music but these somehow become part of the ebb and flow rather than standing out. Without wishing to detract from it, the music seems right late at night, sat up when you should be asleep.

This is one of those little delights, an album whose quality shines through when the bigger names have faded away. You’ll hear it come around no doubt on your music player and think, ‘who is this?’. It’s great that such music can still find a release and hopefully a treasured place amongst those who hear it.

The Floating World – Unda
http://homepages.tesco.net/~beautiful.day/Barl_Fire_Recordings.htm
USA (artist) UK (label) 2005 Barl Fire

Amanda Votta is The Floating World an artist I first heard on Tim Renner’s great ‘Folklore of the Moon’ CD series. Simon of label Barl Fire heard her music there too and commissioned an album of her haunting music for his label. This album is the result. Amanda’s music is truly unique, using layered flutes and very subtle keyboards to make haunting melodic instrumental pieces.

As soon as you hear the first piece ‘Rainfall’ you are completely entranced, lost in waves of wistful music that seep slowly into our perception. Whereas Amanda’s set for Tim’s series was almost entirely just flute layered, here it is used selectively with some more emphasis on glacial soundscapes such as on ‘Beneath The Waves’ where when it comes in the notes echo, cascading upon themselves.

‘River’ is very minimal apart from the flutes, which are in contrast loud and circling upon each other. On ‘Mirror Sea’ the flute notes are slow and the backing like resonant cello vibrations. Through it goes to the conclusion of ‘The Lake’, this music with no easy comparison. It exists outside genres or structure, drifting across what feel like years not minutes.

Ilyas Ahmed – Towards The Night / Between Two Skies
http://www.volcanictongue.com
USA 2005

Ilyas is a USA guitarist and musician born in Pakistan here on two CDrs released in late 2005. These are pieces of evolving, delicate acoustic guitar that have found a captivated audience of appreciative new fans. At the present through the modern guitar music of Ben Chasney, Ben Reynolds, Jack Rose, James Blackshaw and others a new audience has emerged. Looking back at the experimental guitar of John Fahey, Sandy Bull and Davy Graham they have been making their own personal evolution of explorative guitar music.

These are good examples of the form, the music soft but mysterious. Ilyas’s talent is unquestionable but solo guitar may not be for everyone. It requires a dedicated listen to appreciate otherwise it can drift by. There are occasional touches of cymbals, piano or wordless vocals but these are not prevalent in most of the music. There are at points the feel of approaching a raga music but this is not a focus and never developed with the intensity of James Blackshaw. The music produces a kind of reverie in the listener, sat with the flowing guitar melodies. It’s a great way to spend a little time. Whether this is for you depends largely on your enjoyment of mostly solo guitar. For those who enjoy the music, this is a prime example well worth your attention.

Caprice – Tales of the Uninvited
http://www.prikosnovenie.com
France (label) Russia (band) 2005 Prikosnovenie

Caprice are a Russian band who have made two albums that is allegedly the music and song of fairies. Their music combines instrumental pieces with songs sung in a language they say is a literal language of the fairies. For the listener this sits somewhere between Liz Fraser in Cocteau Twins and Sigur Ros. Musically it is an intoxicating blend of modern romantic classical, chamber music, jaunty folk dance, ethereal songs and ambient soundscapes. The pieces ebb and flow across the album’s length shifting between moods. There certainly is an otherworldly feeling to it which avoids being twee by use of the language we cannot understand. They do establish a playful, even delightfully mischievous feeling that evokes what we thing of about fairies. It’s excellently produced and quite luxurious and I found myself surprisingly drawn into the music. Without meaning any slight it would make a wonderful mood music for late night contemplation or a long soak in the bath. If this sounds of interest or such music is already part of your listening it is an excellent example which you would do well to check out.

Chuck Owston – Strange Devices of the Sun and Moon USA

Chuck is a USA musician who has been making music for many years both solo and in bands. These bands include The All Soul’s Band and A Company of Knaves. He is inspired by British traditional folk music applied to modern folk-rock settings with a clear influence too from Bob Dylan. The songs on this collection bring together many bands across a period of nearly twenty years. Chuck’s band line-ups are also notable for including his grown up children in various permutations. Instrumentally the songs range from crunching folk rock on ‘Johnny Scarecrow’ to songs based around dulcimers and citterns. It also ranges from songs written by Chuck to traditional songs like ‘Nottamum Town’.

The arrangements are interesting as although they are clearly inspired by British folk, their treatments bring together late period Byrds and their member’s following country-folk bands. This gives the songs an interesting aspect as they don’t sound purely British but filtered through another set of influences. With twenty songs, there is a lot of music here. Chuck is more interested in spreading the good word than commerce. I wonder how such avowedly British folklore themes in the songs go down in the USA. Stylistically think of early Steeleye Span, Spriguns of Tolgus or Spirogyra. It’s good to know people are making such music in the USA, with a lot to enjoy on this and a clear dedication to the music. A good companion album to this is Chuck’s ‘Crow Lane’, a set dedicated to traditional songs of the British Isles.