Hannah James & Sam Sweeney
Album: State And Ancientry
Label: RootBeat
Tracks: 11
Website: www.hannahandsam.co.uk/

No strangers to the traditional music scene, Hannah James & Sam Sweeney, have been found plying their wares in a number of different bands over the years, both separately and together, including Bellowhead, Demon Barbers Roadshow, Kerfuffle and Lady Maisery, the last of which getting a nomination for the Horizon Award at the recent Radio Two Folk Awards. Hannah & Sam were nominated for the Horizon Award as a duo themselves off the back of their debut album, "Catches & Glees".

Their sophomore album "State And Ancientry" shows that the English folk tradition is not only in safe hands, but vibrant and forward thinking with both Hannah and Sam, adding not only their own considerable personalities to the songs, but their own interpretation in both word and tune ensuring that these songs are no stagnant museum pieces, but nurtured and fresh for the future.

This is an album rich in sound and structure. There are tunes that get the feet moving, if not actually getting the listener up and dancing and songs to sit back down and take a breather too. It's an album that feels very free, not that "Catches & Glees" was particularly stiff, the new album feels of a duo that are more comfortable in their skin and more willing to take a chance on something different.

Whilst you notice it in the traditional tunes, I felt it most in "Wallaby/Harry's Flowers", which in all honesty, I hadn't realised, was a new set from Hannah until I read the sleeve notes, you can almost feel the sense of pride flowing through each and every note, not knowing where the duo were going to take it next.

I've often said a good folk album, is a good history lesson, geography lesson and a murder, the lack of body count here is more than made up for by the simple reminder that not all hunting songs had an unfortunate ending for the quarry.

"State And Ancientry" is an album that comes straight out of folk's top draw. Hannah James & Sam Sweeney are rapidly becoming two of England's finest folk exponents. If you're really luck you'll get to hear them playing when they tour the album in April and May. See website for details.

Neil King