Reviews
Artist:Johnny Campbell Album: True North
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 8
Website: https://johnnycampbell.co.uk/
I won't go as far as calling Johnny Campbell the last of the troubadours, but there aren't that many beating a path around the highway and byways of Britain and beyond, with a definite focus on England's northern counties.
In a time of artificially generated experience tourism, Johnny is the real thing. His is not the world of bespoke events created for the I was there moments, Campbell is a genuine balladeer that lives in his beliefs.
Taking, largely traditional songs, performed simply with just him and his guitar, Campbell is a musical storyteller following the philosophy of lots of small gigs often. Balladeers told poignant and political songs, mixed them with some more humorous creations to become the walking singing magazines of their day, a role that Johnny Campbell pulls off effortlessly.
It will come as no surprise to discover that the walking and access rights champion recorded his latest album, "True North", out in the field, we atop hills and mountains to be precise, each track being recorded individually at the highest points, or as near as he could get to the highest points of the eight most northern English counties.
It leaves for a simple, rugged, recording served up with vocals rich in accent and vernacular. Previous albums have been recorded in bars and there have been a series of recording around that right to roam, including one with the Commoners Choir & Skelmanthorpe Brass Band. "True North" is much more in the balladeer style with a number of folk circuit staples, "Ther Derby Ram", "Four Loom Weaver" and "Oakey Strike Evictions", amongst their number, all stripped back to their core.
In truth Campbell's vocals can be an acquired taste, but they are absolutely right for this album, with some of the songs complete unaccompanied except by the wind.
"True North" shows an artist that has bought life and soul into a musical lifestyle and lives that experience, you can pick that up in pretty much every word that he sings and that makes this an album that attracts the word, essential.
Neil King
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