Reviews
Artist:Mawkin:Causley
Album:The Awkward Recruit
Label:Navigator
Tracks:12
Website:http://www.myspace.com/mawkincausley
History has a habit of repeating it's self. "Freedom & Rain" was an album brought about by bringing together an exceptionally gifted singer, June Tabor, with a band with a fearsome reputation for their live panache and a ceilidh background, The Oyster Band. The album went on to be voted album of the decade.
Here we are some nineteen years later and we find ourselves listening to a new album, "The Awkward Recruit" an album brought about by the bringing together an exceptionally gifted singer, current Fatea Male Vocalist of the year, Jim Causley, with a band with a fearsome reputation for their live panache and a ceilidh background, Mawkin. We've yet to see how much history will repeat it's self but what a foundation.
Ok, this comes as less of a surprise than the previous collaboration, there was a mini album last year, "Cold Ruin" that laid down a marker of what these lads could do when they got in the studio. All of that on the back of a number well hailed live performances that saw them being described as folk's boy band.
Like all legend there's a basis of truth in it, the front row of any Mawkin:Causley gig tends to be very oestrogen positive, but unlike a lot of boy bands there is nothing contrived about it, just a really talented group belting out their version of folk classics, which brings us neatly back to the album.
The first thing that you notice on the album is the strength of the song selection. Drawing on approximately five hundred years of English songs, which means a whole load of sex, love, war, journeys and health and safety gone mad. "The Downfall Of Charing Cross" focuses on the loss of the Eleanor Cross in the then village of Charing for safety reasons back in the 17th century.
Jim Causley's Devon touched baritone has got to be one of the most expressive voices in any genre of music. The inclinations that he puts in allows the transformation from deep and sombre to light and jolly in barely a note, let alone a bar. It provides a real sense of drama to the songs, drawing you into the story. A line has real meaning as it passes Causley's lips.
That by no means means that Mawkin are reduced to a support role, quite the contrary, this is very much a collaborative effort. There is passion and drive in their performance. They provide the energy and lift that gives the whole recording a life and vitality that becomes more and more infectious as the album progresses.
In addition the role they play as chorus really gives a number of songs a real edge. Elevating them from the merely good to great. This album really is a fantastic and inspirational collaboration.
I'd also extend that to Stu Hanna's highly sympathetic production. He's obviously got a feel for this band. He gets the path between microphones and master absolutely spot on.
If anything can be truly flawless, this runs it pretty close. The only disappointing thing is that it will struggle to get the airplay and wider recognition it deserves. If it's lucky it might be the token folky on the Mercury, but should have more
Neil King