Crafting For Foes
Album: Love Is Scorned
Label: Moth House
Tracks: 6
Website: http://www.craftingforfoes.co.uk

First of all a massive apology to Crafting For Foes, "Love Is Scorned" nearly got lost in the house/office move and such a thing would have been unforgivable, if only for the effort that had been put into the hand finished, limited edition sleeve/cd. Fortunately the coal has been pulled out the fire, particularly fortunate as the level of detail put into the beautiful sparse and haunting songs more than matches that of the housing.

Crafting For Foes are a duo, consisting, Amanda McManus and Adam Rees, who write and perform all the songs on "Love Is Scorned" with the latter also performing the duties behind the desk.

On the surface, "Love Is Scorned" appears to be a delicate, almost fragile, mini-album of contemporary English Folk songs with a slightly gothic tinge around the edge, but not much listening soon discerns a real strength in the structure, in the way an English bone china teacup can support the weight of a person so long as the approach is right.

Without an element of doubt, this is a captivating ep and it would be more than enough if it was just that. There is a way that the notes and chords seem to float in the ether that gives the songs an almost intangible edge, but it isn't just that. The poetry of the lyric and the harmonics of their delivery really does give you a chance to decode the whole, whilst providing a real sustainability, because you'll want to keep on coming back to find all it has to give.

Neil King