Reviews

Artist: Port Isaac's Fisherman's Friends
Album: Port Isaac's Fisherman's Friends
Label: Universal
Tracks: 12
Website: http://www.portisaacsfishermansfriends.com

Well, what do you know? An album of shanties and sea songs on a major record label…and about time too I say!

As a regular performer myself on board HMS Warrior in Portsmouth along with ex-sailor Shep Woolley many’s the time we’ve sung Tom Lewis’s “A Sailor Ain’t A Sailor” and what a pleasure to see it appearing here in all it’s lusty glory. Conjuring images of bonhomie and yo, ho, ho in a Cornish pub, warmed by a roaring fire and good-natured banter this is exactly what the recording conveys whilst brushing aside blinkered attitudes of commercial ‘selling out’ from the ‘folk’ scene.

Featuring established favourites such as “South Australia”, “Bully In The Alley” and the melancholic “Shenandoah” these lads obviously know how to have a good time without going overboard (sorry about that). Although I suppose there could be a danger of swamping what are essentially regarded as acapella renderings the instrumental contributions by the session musicians haven’t detracted from the heart of the performance and in utilising Andy Findon (he played the whistle on the Young’s sea food adverts) to great effect the target audience (far exceeding the confines of the ‘folk music’ tag) have been treated to a fine showcase of the genre.

The inclusion of the timely “No Hopers, Jokers And Rogues” certainly gets my vote and could give The Wurzels a run for their money.

Finally congratulations to the graphic designers on bringing those old seafaring posters so vividly back to life whilst giving it a modern twist. Hearty congratulations all round!

Peter Fyfe

---