David Swann
Album: Woven Through Herringbone
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 10
Website: http://www.davidswann.co.uk

First of all I must declare an interest. Last May during our inaugural BAMfest in Bedale, North Yorkshire I cajoled a local song-writer - David Swann - to enter the songwriting competition.

He won - with the title track of this CD. And a fine song it is too.

This album features ten original songs from David Swann, a singer-songwriter based in North Yorkshire.

The songs are been recorded "live" in the studio and have a refreshing honesty about them. I particularly appreciate the stripped back approach - just the singer and his guitar.

But for this approach to work the songs must be good enough to stand up to scrutiny - fear not, they do.

Subjects covered in David songs include his beloved Yorkshire, but the Scottish Borders and The Isle of Skye get honourable mentions.

Woven Through Herringbone tells the story of how fishergirls would knit special ganseys - or jumpers - for their lads. If a lad was lost at sea they could tell which village he was from by the gansey he was wearing.

The Queen of the Air tells the story of Dolly Shepherd who performed a balloon ascent and parachute descent in North Yorkshire in 1911.

The majority of the songs are fingerpicked on the guitar and David's personality shines through. Particularly fine is Your Love - a jazz-tinged song of unrequited love.

A couple of tracks - Where Only Heroes Can Fly and The Busker's Song - are strummed and sound a little incongruous against the other songs.

But overall this is a fine representation of a hard-working singer-songwriter. If you get the opportunity to see him perform live then I recommend you do.

John Knighton