Funke And The Two Tone Baby
Album: Battles
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 10
Website: http://www.funkeandthetwotonebaby.co.uk

From the moment you cast your eyes on the Ieune Edwards hand cut lino print that forms the basis for the sleeve of "Battles" you know you're dealing with an artist that not only has his finger on the pulse, but pretty much the whole hand. It's a sleeve that speaks volumes about what you're going to hear. One of the characters stood behind the Daniel Turnbull figure, the man whose alter-ego happens to be Funke And The Two Tone Baby, reminded me of Hobo Jones and it came as no surprise to discover Hobo Jones, together with his Junkyard Dogs is one of the acts he's supported.

Funke ATTTB is a folk blues harmoniser, taking that guitar and harmonica sound and adding to it the combination of beat box and loop pedals, that allow him to build his songs into a wall of sound, when he's not recruited fellow Kent act CoCo & The Butterfields to fill that role for him on a couple of tracks.

As with the deceptive simplicity of the sleeve, the same is true of the music. Recorded in an acoustic studio to capture the warmth of the sound, anything more than a cursory listen to the songs shows just how cleverly they've been put together. These are songs that really feel like they've been lived in and to capture that so you can feel it coming of the speakers shows a real dedication.

"Battles" is the debut album of Funke ATTTB, but it really does have the feel of a mature performer that is very happy in their skin, one that is not afraid to show a few scars and blemishes, because that is part of who they are. Similarly this is an album that has not need to polish the sharp jagged edges, just because life's knocks and experiences don't always cut clean.

Folk and the blues have always been about experiences. Some of those experiences involve other people, some of those experiences just involve life. Daniel Turnbull, has a real knack for taking those experiences and turning them into songs, songs that you feel not only fit in with his personal, multi-instrumental approach, but could be as happy with just a guitar or a full orchestra. "Battles" is an album that is well worth the experience of exploring.

Neil King