Green Diesel
Album: Wayfarers All
Label: Talking Elephant
Tracks: 12
Website: http://www.greendieselfolk.com/

I like to come at bands I'm not familiar with with a clean slate, so I don't have any prejudgements before hearing for myself. Never have I been so pleasantly surprised by a band. Green Diesel has skyrocketed into my top few bands based just on this album.

I think for me this particular branch of folk just hits all of my particular tick boxes, it is fast, exciting and the kind that you should put on full blast to really get a feel for the atmosphere that they generate.

With a good mix of folk instruments and then several galleons worth of personality we have some great mixtures of instrumental jigs and vocal victories that are quite tantalising and energetic. I particularly enjoyed 'Mad Tom of Bedlam' as the entire arrangement is very well prepared. The lead vocals are powerful and daunting with a harmonic backing team that could give you goose bumps.

There seems to be a good mix of traditional songs too all given a new and fresh perspective by Green Diesel that are similar enough to other versions to be recognisable, but are certainly 'Jazzed up' and give whole new lives of their own.

That is not to say that Green Diesel doesn't offer something for everyone, 'A Fisherman, Once' is a much slower paced tune that still captures the energy and atmosphere that the rest of the album provides, but presents it in a calmer way.

The instrumental version of 'Minoorne Labajalg' does justice to the original source and that style of music from which it was first adapted.

This is a very exciting band who produce vastly energetic music for all tastes.

Paul Rawcliffe