Reviews
Artist:Paxton & Morris Album: Is It Safe Out There?
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 11
Website: https://www.paxtonandmorrismusic.co.uk
Named for their late cats, Maggie Kenny and Drew Wegg are a likably roughshod amateur folk duo from London and this, initially intended as a lockdown EP and recorded at various home studios, is a debut collection of covers of some of their favourite songs, aided and abetted by producer Joe Broughton (violin, mandolin, electric bass, percussion), Tom Chapman (cajón), Kevin Dempsey (guitar, slide), and John Wallace (guitar, slide and ukulele), Paloma Trigás (violin) and banjo luminary Dan Walsh.
They get the ball rolling with a touch of alt-country with a fine walking beat take on Steve Earle's 'Devil's Right Hand', proceeding into the bigger bluesy violin and harmonica arrangement of Davey Graham's 'I Cannot Keep From Cryin' Sometimes' and, the pair sharing verses, a powerful fiddle and guitar led version of Sydney Carter's anti-war 'Crow On The Cradle'.
A murder ballad with a twist in which it's the woman who emerges alive, 'The Ballad Of Henry Lee' has a bell tolling rhythm, decorated with shaker percussion, a variant of Young Hunting, likely based around the Nick Cave and PJ Harvey duet off Murder Ballads. Trigás opening proceedings, the six -minute plus steady walking rhythm 'Silkie Lullaby' spreads the net wider to embrace rather wonderful English fellow London folk singer-songwriter Zoe Wren, Wegg giving the sea siren a gender switch, the mood thickened with slide guitar solo.
Two traditional evergreens follow, first up being Walsh adding sparse texture to the Baez-styled 'Silver Dagger' and then, all shimmering cajon and wailing violin, another dagger number in 'Crazy Man Michael'.
A gem from the Richard Shindell songbook, Kenny takes lead on the banjo-accompanied 'Reunion Hill' while Dylan puts in an appearance for a suitably moody 'Senor (Tales of Yankee Power)' that spins a variation on the original tune then, demonstrating their clearly eclectic CD collection, Seattle hard rock outfit Alice In Chains are the source of the brooding 'Nutshell', this based on their unplugged version rather than the grungier album recordings, but Dempsey's guitar work still glowing with power. Finally, Shindell gets a second stab with the equally excellent road song 'Next Best Western', echo on Wegg's vocals, strings and some fluid acoustic guitar picking.
It's fair to say, the couple's vocals aren't in the same league as more notable male-female folk-rock duos like The Rails or Megson, but that doesn't mean this isn't a highly enjoyable and in places unexpected listen.
Mike Davies
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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.
Corsair is the current session and features 16 fantastic artists check out the website to find out more about them and download your copy
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