Ollie King
Album: Gambit
Label: RootBeat
Tracks: 11
Website: http://www.olliekingmusic.com

They say that if you're good enough you're old enough and despite his tender years Sheffield based Melodeon player Ollie King is most definitely good enough! Having cut his teeth on releases from the likes of Megson and The Young 'Uns, King has now put together an album of songs and tunes of his own and it's a cracker. Selection, in 2013, for the EFDSS's Aspire Programme appears to have opened plenty of doors for Ollie King and he's charged through them gleefully, not only hooking up with fellow young folk starlets James Findlay and Rosie Hood but collaborating on the record with Fay Hield and Sam Sweeney amongst others.

The album itself is a mix of tunes, songs, shanties and even a solemn A Capella rendition of a couple of WW1 lamentations. New compositions by John Dipper, John Tams and King himself sit comfortably alongside the usual blend of traditional tunes and overall it works well. 'Taro Fair' is a brilliant paean to traditional English country fairs as a group of people celebrate and make merry on the way to said gathering whilst 'Signposts' is a fantastic building tune that lilts at the start before wending its way merrily into a genuine toe-tapper and is a great example of the way young musicians are not only protecting but also developing musical tradition. 'The Bold Archer' provides a modern yet familiar take on an old favourite (which will appeal to fans of Faustus) as does the rousing rendition of 'Round The Bay Of Mexico' featuring an enormous gang-vocal in true Folk Club style.

The long term question for Ollie King is how he kicks on his solo career in terms of developing an already well-established sound on further albums. Keeping the ideas and music fresh, challenging and evolving might prove tricky but there's no doubt that King will be in demand from the great and good of the folk world for guest appearances and collaborations, and rightly so.

In the short term Ollie King has delivered a terrific record and is undoubtedly well aware of the expansiveness of the torch of tradition that he carries - this is no more obvious than with the spine tingling poignancy of 'Stand To/Battle Of The Somme' which is a beautifully recognised high point of a beautifully recognised debut album.

Rob Fearnley