Reviews
Around About Dusk Album: Sweet Old Fables
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 13
Website: https://aroundaboutdusk.bandcamp.com/
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of seeing, meeting and interviewing Rachell and the guys at The Gate to Southwell Festival. That day they delivered a sublime set of laid-back songs and tunes with a very jazzy feel. It’s little wonder as they explained to me how they had spent many months in New Orleans, listening, busking and performing while forming and developing the style that they have brought back to Bristol to continue their career as a live and recording quintet. In chatting to them for my radio show, The Folk Club, they explained their process and how, although they all have other projects going on alongside this band, when they come together, they are inspired by each other and it flows into their sound, especially the tight harmonies that are a trademark of the band.
They have recently released their album ‘Sweet Old Fables’ which during its creation, involved collaborating with 11 musicians in total. The arrangements though never feel cluttered and, in many ways, there is a simplicity in their form, weaving its way around that NOLA sound but including some dark lyrics, both serious and humorous, and blending in some folk narratives into ballads, atmospheric instrumentals and some more punchy uplifting tracks.
From the opening track, The Swarm – a lyrically, witchy portrait of a darker character right, through to the closing track My Songbird, an acoustic guitar led, simple song that makes someone feel easy in their own skin while the bird ‘loves to sing’ up there in the sky.
A standout track for me is The Sea. This song portrays the journey of a river flowing down the mountainside but longing to join the sea. It’s a metaphor for that moment of release at the end of the journey and whatever that journey may be.
There are many good songs on this record, and although you could easily have it on in the background as a sort of lounge bar jazz feel, you also need to listen to the lyrics. The songs are stories and the words often as meaningful to the listener as the purity of their delivery.
I think Sweet Old Fables is a really good album. It does what it says on the tin! There are literally fables and stories, wrapped up in a sweet, tender and emotional blanket, and having seen Around about Dusk live, these are serious musicians who know how to deliver them.
Stuart Green
| Previous | Next |
|---|---|
| Christian Parker, Patrick Cleary and Earl Poole Ball: American Cosmic Revival Vol 2: Miles From Nowhere | Phil Odgers & John Kettle: The War Is Over - The Songs Of Phil Ochs Vol.2 |
Recent Reviews
- The Kennedys:Smoketree
- Nic Norton and Alice Morell:The Stone Tape
- M G Boulter & Jenny Sturgeon:Wild Convenor
- Christian Parker, Patrick Cleary and Earl Poole Ball:American Cosmic Revival Vol 2: Miles From Nowhere
- Around About Dusk:Sweet Old Fables
- Phil Odgers & John Kettle:The War Is Over - The Songs Of Phil Ochs Vol.2
- Paper Verses:Windstill
- My Girl The River:Manifest Good Things
- Michael McDermott:Flowers From The Graveyard
- Hase Waits:The Dancing Spot
Without You
Fatea Showcase Sessions
The Fatea Showcase Sessions are a series of downloads featuring acts that we've really enjoyed and think that more people should get the chance to hear.
Pirate is the current session and features 16 fantastic artists check out the website to find out more about them and download your copy
www.fatea-showcase-sessions.co.uk for all the artist information.