Although a live album, in keeping with the world they inhabit, only a wave of polite applause at the appropriate juncture indicates this is anything other than a studio recording thanks, in no small part, to the trio’s ability to recreate their sound flawlessly. The spoken word pieces set to minimal accompaniment remind us of the purpose of early music, if it wasn’t devotional in nature then it was to drive a narrative, the tales and news of the day and hearing Jon Hamp’s delivery it is difficult not to picture a captivated audience in long forgotten inn or travellers sharing stories around a campfire.
This is music as a primal whisper, a not often heard sound which is usually lost, drowned out by the noise and ambition of this face paced world. As I said before, when trying to find the words to adequately describe their album Palimpsest, their music talks in an ancient language, one that the head may sometimes struggle with but the heart and soul is fluent in.
Dave tends to write what he likes (which is not to say he likes everything, as his blog makes very clear). So it’s easy to imagine that artists (and record labels) are generally pleased to see his reviews. But what’s really valuable in a review is when it takes you inside something you thought you knew and helps you see it in different and deeper way. His blog is well worth following.