Drop The Box are a five piece
operating out of the Shetlands. Their line up is a conventional
modern roots set up, consisting James Henry(guitar, vocals), Inge
Thomson(accordion, vocals), Kevin Henderson(fiddle), Fraser Mouat(bass)
and Aky Gilliland(drums, percussion). It's at this point convention
stops.
Native folk music is fused with a combination of world, indie and reggae, the result, magic. The band only formed back in 1994 and since that time have made giant leaps forward.
A debut album was recorded in '95 for the Lochshore label. Since then the band have been concentrating on touring. Support slots have been played with the likes of the Silencers and comparisons made with the Waterboys.
Certainly there is something of the big time about them. One of the band's covers is "Psycho Killer" it speaks volumes that they manage to take the song and make it their own.
Their own songs are well crafted buds that open to reveal a rose within, but often these roses are defended with thorns. These aren't twee little ditties designed to please, these are songs that hit home and are delivered with verve. Drop The Box songs are hook laden masterpieces that simply demand to be listened to. Even if you're only listening to the tune, you can't help but feel the sounds and react.
At Cambridge the band played the Thursday night session before the festival proper, quite simply they were the hit of the night. Not only that, had they had the chance they would have blown away a number of the band's that played the festival proper. As it was they left the other Scottish acts standing.
Hopefully it won't be too long before Drop The Box return to the studio to see if they can capture their live appeal and sound on cd. Hopefully too it won't be too long before they start attracting the size of audience they deserve.
What should happen is that this band should start appearing on festival mainstages, kicking off Cambridge 34 would be a good start.