State Of Undress
Album: Journeys Of The Heart
Label: Rosebud
Tracks: 11
Website: http://www.stateofundress.com

Dorset band State Of Undress have been on a long musical journey, "Journeys Of The Heart" being the band's sixth album to date and there's no sign of them stopping any time soon.

The band proudly wear their folk rock influences on their sleeve, Fairport, Albion band, Strawbs, Caravan and Steeleye, pretty much the cream of folk rock, but it's not to the extent that it drowns their own sound, because there is something distinctive in the way State Of Undress use both their vocal and fiddle attack.

Primarily the vocals come courtesy of Charile Rose, who is also one of the major song contributors to music of the album, though pretty much everyone of the five piece get a contribution in there. I digress, when not providing the vocal lead, she switches to the role of the prime harmoniser. Her vocal performance sees her going from full Morrigan mode on the darker songs, such as "The Hangman's Daughter" through to fey romancer on the more delicate numbers.

It's a similar scenario with the fiddle of Jerry Bird, right there at the front when the songs demand a real driving force, dropping back to providing a framework on the more intricate pieces, helping to ensure "Journeys Of The Heart" is an album that's rich in texture as well as pace.

What I particularly like about the album is that State Of Undress reflect their West Country roots in a way that's just as proud as those from further north. "The Black Hills Of Mendip" is as powerful a song about the devastation of mining communities as many from better known districts. In many ways it carries something through that more recent songs cant as the period over which to reflect is that bit more extended. It's also a great song about the passage of time, another journey to be reflected.

As with pretty much every folk rock album, "Journeys Of The Heart" also draws on the work of the band's contemporaries, Dylan and Knightley with "Wagon Wheel" and "Are We Alright" respectively and a traditional song, "The Keys Of Canterbury".

For me though if I had to chose a favourite from the album, I'd be torn between two songs penned from within the band, but heavily infused with tradition, the afore mentioned "The Hangman's Daughter" and "Wildwood" yet another journey song, this time into the power of nature.

"Journeys Of The Heart" is a good honest album, with a very live feel and a grand sense of fun, pretty much all you can ask from a release.

Neil King