Landermason
Album: Me, Him And The Can Crusher
Label: Lama
Tracks: 11
Website: http://www.landermason.com/

"Me, Him And The Can Crusher" sees Northumberland based duo Landermason, notch up album number five. The duo, Fiona Lander and Paul Mason, have developed a style that brings a jazz element to a contemporary folk sound and distinctly features a lot of wind instrument high in the mix.

This is an album rich in sight, sound and history of both the North East and the Lake District. It's funny how history works in songs, whilst "The Bywell Baby" was inspired by the story of Mary Leighton(1771) there are elements in the story that many a victim of last year's floods up and down the country can relate to, almost as if the song speaks to the now as well as the then, with an underlying hope from despair inspiration.

Both the instrumentation and jazz touched arrangements ensure that "Me, Him And The Can Crusher" have a more mellow feel than a lot of more guitar and at times, percussive driven folk duo albums, sometimes even taking on a post WW1 feel, it can be a bit disconcerting if you're not expecting it, i.e. you're new to Landermason, but do stick with it, because it will click and you'll find the vibe that sets this apart is the same vibe that gets your toes tapping.

Neil King