The Men They Couldn't Hang
Album: The Defiant
Label: Vinyl Stac
Tracks: 12
Website: http://www.tmtch.net

There's bands that you simply like, there's bands that, in time, you learn to love, and then there are the rare, rare breed of bands that you live! And The Men They Couldn't Hang are, without doubt one of the latter.....an exceptional breed indeed, hard drinking, hard hitting, rabble rousing, roguish raconteurs, THE originators, THE pillars, and THE pinnacle of Folk-punk!!!

With 'The Defiant' TMTCH bring us their ninth album of a thirty year career, an album keenly anticipated by the band's fanatical fan base, and funded by the ever more popular Pledge campaign which raised over 200% of its target....testament to the loyalty of those partisans. A twelve track offering, produced by Pat Collier,and due for release late September comes on the back of their 'Night Ferry' EP, a succession of well received festivals and gigs stretching the length and breadth of the country, and most notably a sell out 30th Anniversary date at London's esteemed Shepherds Bush Empire which received high praise indeed from The Gaurdian amongst others....so well received was this event that they are doing it all over again to bring to an end the anniversary celebrations in fine and fitting style!

With the very first outburst of passion fuelled chant Cush and Swill, two of the most recognisable and spirited voices in this genre, set their stall, 'And all the glory is on our breath, and in the morning we'll stink like death.....' offering the first indication that they mean business, that this album is no meagre offering to mark an occasion, that this is a concerted effort to underpin their already stirring repertoire and furthermore to reinforce the belief that their fan base has in them....and to offer them reward for their loyalty over the years.....

The trade mark of many of the finest TMTCH anthems is not only the strength of Cush and Swill's vocals, but also the addictive hooks of Paul Simmonds distinctive mandolin, melodies created which etch themselves within the listener's mind, and within these 12 tracks there's no shortage of these....simple yet so effective, bordering on addictive! With these three stalwarts at the fore, and bolstered by Ricky McGuire, Tom Spencer, and the enigmatic Sputnik Weazel there's no shortage of energy, verve or tenacity; with additional musicians to subtly fortify where necessary it's all there in abundance.....thirty years on there's still plenty of appetitive for 'Raising Hell'!

As you come to expect from TMTCH there's a blend of all styles that are feasibly possible to fuse, and it's this ability to embrace so many differing elements that contributes to a style and sound that is so individual, and though many have tried to emulate this, TMTCH stand alone! There's more anthems here to add to the frenetic classics such as 'Ghosts of Cable Street', 'Ironmasters', and 'Colours' for example......take the rousing opener 'Raising Hell', more matter of fact 'Bonfires' and reflective 'Turquoise Bracelet Bay' , all certain pretenders to the already established tubthumping certainties.....then there's the more reserved, yet equally captivating 'Carrying the flame', 'Night Ferry', 'Atheni Dreams', and 'Twilight Road', all more than capable of stamping their mark! 'Scavengers', 'Silver Chains', 'Tavarado' offer typical TMTCH fayre while 'Fail to Comply', and 'Hardworking People' take on a bluesy, jug band feel, diverting slightly from the usual sound, but a welcome diversion and equally enjoyable as the rest!

All things together this is an album that must please not only the travelling army of regular gig goers, but those more passive of fans, as well as the band itself, and should a certain Mr John Peel be looking down upon the band he helped bring to prominence all those years ago, he'll surely be smiling approvingly whilst muttering 'I told you so!'..... Here's to the next thirty years of folk mayhem then....'and until then, get ready men, we're raising hell!'

James Cosgrove