Lisa Knapp
Album: Hidden Seam
Label: Navigator
Tracks: 9
Website: http://www.lisaknapp.co.uk

"Hidden Seam" is Lisa Knapp's second full-length album. Her first, "Wild and Undaunted" was Mojo Magazine's Folk Album Of The Year and Lisa was nominated for two BBC Folk Awards, namely, the Horizon Award for Best Newcomer and Best Traditional Track for "The Blacksmith" [as remixed by Youth]. "Wild And Undaunted" contained eight of Lisa's arrangements of traditional folk songs, together with three of her original compositions.

To say that Lisa has moved on, musically, would be something of an understatement. Apart from one cover song and one co-write, Lisa has written all the material on her new album. And what an album it is too.

Whilst Lisa's music is clearly rooted in the folk tradition, this new album is anything but traditional or conventional. It is a bold, innovative statement in which Lisa and husband/musical partner/multi-instrumentalist/producer Gerry Diver have created something fresh and exciting. It's Folk, Jim, but not as we know it!

Lisa's imaginative writing for this album reflects her love of language, which derived, in part, from a meeting with the great Irish poet Seamus Heaney, who sadly died recently. Lisa's lyrics are quite extraordinary and when combined with an array of unusual instruments [ Lisa plays harp, glass harp, autoharp and hammered dulcimer, amongst others] and Gerry's string arrangements, keyboards and programming, the result is a bewitching "sonic tapestry".

This extraordinary album begins, in suitably experimental style with "Shipping Song" which starts with an incantation of the Sea Areas around the British Isles [ eg. Lundy, Fastnet, German Bight, Portland,Wight ], which will be familiar to listeners to the BBC's Shipping Forecast. This atmospheric piece incorporates samples of American Marine sound testing and other undersea noises, to create an evocative soundscape [or should that be seascape ?].

The album features some significant contributions from a number of stellar guest vocalists and musicians. The one non-original song "Black Horse", which was written by the late Lal Waterson [with Christine Collins], features Lal's daughter Marry and James Yorkston on vocals, to great effect.

Another major contribution comes from the excellent Scottish singer Alasdair Roberts who adds duet vocals and guitar to Lisa's "Hunt The Hare" [Parts I and II]". This beguiling two-part song about "the merry month of May" is possibly the most conventional "folk" piece on the album and Lisa's and Alasdair's voices blend beautifully on the insistent chorus "Too soon the night comes after day". Part I flows into Part II with Alasdair's fluent acoustic guitar. Again, the vocal duet between Lisa and Alasdair is exceptional.

Another big-name guest comes in the form of Martin Carthy, who plays stately acoustic guitar on "Two Ravens", a heartbreakingly touching song about memory loss [ "You wouldn't wish it on your enemy, such a stealing of a personality"].

"Hushabye" is a dreamy lullaby by Lisa and Kathryn Williams, who also sings harmonies. In the song's lyrics, the child is reassured that the sun will rise again in the morning ["He never really leaves us" and "All through the darkness he's burning"]. It is a charming song that brings this extraordinary album to a fitting conclusion.

The stunning artwork for "Hidden Seam" by David Angel, depicts Lisa, with her eyes closed, on a small rowing boat in a rough sea, at night, in a storm. She is clearly heading into unknown waters. With this album, Lisa has boldly embarked on a voyage of discovery into those unknown waters and it is a compelling journey, which the listener can share with her.

Try it.

Peter Cowley