Kadia
Album: Beacon Fires
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 5
Website: http://www.kadiaband.co.uk

Despite their relative proximity to me, the first time I saw Kadia perform live was when they were one of two opening acts at the recent album launch of Ninebarrow's excellent "While The Blackthorn Burns" and I must say I was impressed with the sound this trio produced.

I said at the gig that they sounded somewhere between and expanded Simon & Garfunkle or a contracted Southern Tenant Folk Union, at least words to that effect, with a writing style slightly more reminiscent of the latter. Having been fortunate enough to have acquired a copy of the band's latest EP, "Beacon Fires"

The EP more than confirms my initial thoughts, that Kadia don't only know how to put a tune together, they also know how to make it theirs, whilst at the same time acknowledging their points of reference.

One reason for that distinction of sound is the main instrumentation, Lee Cuff (cello) Chris Bailey (guitar) and David Hoyland (ukulele and percussion) with Lee taking in most of the lead vocal duties and Chris providing great harmonies to work around.

There is an historic feel to both the content of the songs, as well as the delivery, but that's not at the expense of the trio being a museum piece, far from it, there is a real freshness to the way they put the sound across which, combined with some inventive phrasing gives you, the listener plenty to work with.

The result is that Kadia seem to have carved out a place where they should be able to reach across to a number of different audiences, songwriter, folk, old timey/bluegrass, without being fully aligned to any genre, with good open minds, this is a trio that could have a decent journey in front of them.

Neil King