Show Of Hands
Album: Wake The Union
Label: Hands On Music
Tracks: 15
Website: http://www.showofhands.co.uk

The multi-award-winning duo's first studio album in three years just has to be something momentous, and by the same token it just has to contain, and bring together, all the many strands of their musical activity - which it does most impressively, without the whole exercise turning into an ill-focussed ragbag (which it could so easily have done in lesser hands). Even so, its amazingly rich stylistic diversity might at first seem more than mildly bewildering, nay overpowering, as during the space of just under an hour the lads take us on a journey that embraces all facets of their musical expertise, entwining their (and our) roots both English and North American while almost incidentally celebrating 20 years of their fabulous partnership.

The disc's 15 songs move from acerbic topical and social commentary through historical storytelling to evocative Americana, throwing in along the way traditional-style folk-romance, matters of the heart and work arising from special projects, all the while meaningfully interweaving key influences and inspirations yet making the resultant creations uniquely their own. And that's a hell of a skill to have developed!

Since, as Knightley has stated, Wake The Union intentionally carries on where Arrogance, Ignorance And Greed left off, we might have expected Company Town, the song that most closely achieves this, to be kicking off proceedings here, but instead the pounding opener, Haunt You, co-written with (and featuring) Seth Lakeman, brings the latter's trademark insistently modern pulse to its defiant and chilling twist on a time-honoured folk scenario (sailor returning to curse unfaithful lover). The aforementioned Company Town swaggers in on its heels, with its rolling raggy-jugband-blues gait, industrial percussion and knowing, sneering lyric, then comes a complete contrast with Now You Know, one of Knightley's solid-gold-classic romantic dilemma-songs that'll have you singing along before the first refrain has faded. Katrina, penned by Devon musician Chris Hoban, sports the most hypnotic of the album's arrangements, its sense of truly eerie dread conjured by an uncannily intelligent use of sampled atmospherics (sounding neither overly naturalistic nor artificial).

Other intensely poignant moments scattered sensibly throughout the disc come with Coming Home, a telling snapshot of the Afghan war campaign which cleverly incorporates a fragment of the traditional Bonnie Light Horseman (beautifully sung by Miranda Sykes); the sparsely-scored genuine-angst-ridden slow-burner No Man's Land (dedicated to the late Jackie Leven); the heartbreaking tale of Cruel River (a keen reworking of the standout title track from Knightley's first solo album); and the simple wistful nostalgia of Home To A Million Thoughts, written as a commission for the reopening of Exeter's Royal Albert Memorial Museum.

The country-waltzer Who Gets To Feel Good? demonstrates Knightley's skill in transposing the perils of love to the indigenous American musical idiom, while the duo's responsive way with covers is represented by Richard Shindell's reflective Reunion Hill and Bob Dylan's trad-ballad Seven Curses (the latter benefitting from Mr. Beer's gritty vocal qualities). Finally, lighter moments are provided with the Appalachian-style gospel of Aunt Maria (which arose out of the Cecil Sharp Project), the carefree throwaway idealism of King Of The World; and the tongue-in-cheek singalong Stop Copying Me, while the disc ends (perhaps a touch too obviously!) with the purpose-built gig-closer Thanks.

The roster of musical friends Show Of Hands have assembled for their album-trip down the A303 to where it meets Route 66 (canny metaphor that!) is suitably impressive, and they sure do a grand job. Key roles are played by Miranda Sykes, Cormac Byrne and producer Mark Tucker, while others not namechecked above who also make vital contributions comprise Martin Simpson, Andy Cutting, B.J. Cole, Paul Downes, Hannah Martin, Phil Henry, Paul Sartin, Leonard Podolak, Rex Preston and Jenna Witts. Packaging and artwork is the usual ultra-high SoH standard - impeccable, attractive, informative and entirely relevant.

What more can I say? Wake The Union is definitely another milestone in Show Of Hands' already stunningly illustrious career.

David Kidman