album overview
Naomi Bedford & Paul Simmonds
Unusual Information Has Come to City
Digital / CD
Preorder 1 Might 2024
Launch 28 June 2024
New album from Naomi Bedford & Paul Simmonds and ‘a British Folks Triumph’ and doable album of the 12 months in it’s style and past. Richard David pens the primary overview anyplace forward of its launch.
The fourth artistic collaboration between British Folks singer Naomi Bedford and Paul Simmonds is entitled ”Unusual Information Has Come To City”, an apt moniker in an period after we are all continually bombarded with evermore baffling and disturbing information experiences. In a world dominated by struggle, violence, political oppression – and an rising stage of de-humanisation by way of the energies of know-how – the significance of roots music of the kind on show right here, can’t be overestimated. It is a definitively human album, embodying beautiful musicianship, finely crafted song-writing and a deep underlying sense of
artistic function.
Together with his work over many many years in THE MEN THEY COULDN’T HANG, Simmonds undoubtedly stands as one in every of Britain’s best dwelling songwriters. His huge canon delves right into a kaleidoscope of historic and socio-political references, a poetic penchant he as soon as once more brings into play right here with nice impact. A high quality backing band ensures that the songs roll into one another with a way of misleading ease, one generally concealing their musical depth and wealthy tapestry of composition.
There are extremely refined manufacturing values obvious right here which mix to create an interesting, generally sombre however in the end pleasant listening expertise. On a private stage – and even when addressing troublesome subject material – I consider that a very powerful music ought to elevate our spirits. This album most definitely lifted mine.
Adjoined to the energy of songwriting and musical aplomb, the ‘jewel within the crown’ is Bedford’s voice, a vessel which drifts most enticingly between the boundaries of Folks and Nation. Ably complimented by longtime fellow songbird Donna Edmead and Xan Tyler, Bedford combines fantastic essences of each resilience and fragility, these framed in extremely achieved phrasing and supply. If she’d been born in Nashville, I consider this girl would have been a serious nation star, however that’s America’s loss. In these isles, Bedford possesses one in every of our biggest feminine voices and it’s deployed marvellously on this album.
On the opening monitor ”Optimist”, which may also be the primary single, issues begin with a flourish of strings and mandolins, earlier than the pair mix on a harmonised ode to positivity in darkish occasions. Simmonds deep timbre sits comfortably beneath Bedford’s overtones, with some splendid fiddle work offering a vivacious backdrop. It’s an upbeat opening with an vital message for us all proper now. ”Even in a time like this, I discover a motive to withstand.” Exactly.
Video – Filmed on location in Rajasthan, India. Shot and edited by Luca Bramley.
”Happiness is A Manner of Travelling” finds Bedford in virtually ethereal nation mode on a narrative of self-examination, marked out by a putting hook line ”Love, your personal true energy turns into a revolution inside your head”. The dynamics are very good, with flowing counter melodies and harmonies by no means overwhelming the fragile spirit of what’s a stupendous tune, setting the tone for the remainder of the ”Unusual Information” journey.
In a properly judged change of really feel, ”Haunted River” opens in fairly stark style with Bedford’s voice set towards sparse, contemplative mandolin selecting. There are some beautiful chord adjustments with Tyler offering delicate, moody backing harmonies together with ghostly fiddle passages from someplace within the metaphorical fog. A tune oozing brooding atmospherics and encapsulating the artistic chemistry between the duo.
”I Love You Too” – co penned by Justin Currie – takes us firmly again into Nashville territory. In opposition to a swirling canvas of nation guitar and delicate piano tinkling, Bedford drops a stunning lead vocal, once more augmented with understated harmonies, these including notably to the tune’s texture. It’s a monitor in the end outlined by its elegant melody and the seductive authenticity of Bedford’s voice. Merely scrumptious stuff with really memorable chord sequences.
”Lewiston Manufacturing facility Ladies” is a jaunty, mid-tempo jig imploring the feminine staff of the well-known Maine manufacturing facility to hitch Bedford as she heads again dwelling to Canada, the place she guarantees to feed them first rate home-cooked meals. This versus the ”half cooked baked beans which I swear are killing me useless.” It’s a lament chronicling the perpetual labour exploitation of the working lessons over three industrialised centuries, one thing which after all – with the appearance of features reminiscent of ‘zero-contract’ hours – continues to exist graphically till this very day.
The general commonplace of songs is so excessive right here, it’s laborious to pick a standout monitor, but when pushed, for me it might be the subsequent tune ”Asylum”, a mournful, darkish meditation on one of many nice problems with our occasions, the plight of refugees making an attempt to flee the usually life threatening bondage of their homelands.
It’s a profound, potent instance of the powers of Simmonds as a songsmith, laced with evocative lyricism, bittersweet melody and irony as in Bedford’s wistful reflection that ”The Purple Cross ain’t what it was once.” Musically, once more, distant nation flavoured guitar supplies an appropriately sobering atmosphere, with some very good fiddle passages additionally making their presence felt. In all probability the very best tune I’ve heard on this topic for an excellent variety of years and one which – if I had my method – could be injected into instructing curriculums for schoolchildren.
Subsequent up, a complete change of temper as we encounter Simmonds taking lead on ”I’ve Acquired A Fever”, full with spoken phrase samples and delectable backing from Bedford and Tyler. It’s a powerful, Dylanesque groove with actually spectacular musical drop-outs, meandering ‘Want’-style fiddle and a so-clever ”Fever!” vocal hook which summons up echoes of a steam practice, blasting its horn throughout forlorn hinterlands. On an album merely abounding with lyrical nuggets, it comprises my favorite single line ”let’s play chess, you be the East and I’ll be the West.” Seemingly easy Simmonds wordplay that conjures up all kinds of ‘Chilly Conflict’ imagery from our youth.
On ”Darkish Rolling Street”, Bedford’s off on her travels once more, stopping to choose up a silent, hitch-hiking stranger on their approach to ”the river of daybreak”. It’s a faultless instance of lonesome Americana, one made all of the extra exceptional by way of the hundreds of miles which separate Bedford and Simmonds from the Hudson shoreline. For my part, there’s not one other British act which might try musical workout routines like this, with such validity.
Vocally, ”A Blacksmith Courted Me” resides in additional conventional British Folks waters, with Bedford transposing the artistic boundaries effortlessly. The album’s title manifests throughout the opening traces and the refrain hook, towards a primarily strummed acoustic backing, with delicate purposes of the aforementioned nation guitar flavours.
Simmonds steps up once more on ”Reverse Days”, one other rhythmic exercise, this time utilising wah-wah Funk guitar towards a tub-box fashion beat driving a bluesy melody. Musically, it’s probably the most revolutionary monitor on the album, with sampled wailing sirens and sitar-like guitar selecting including to the combo. Its inclusion provides appreciable breadth to the duo’s already broad musical horizons, however Simmonds has by no means been afraid to discover new floor. With every pay attention, extra elements turn into obvious, not least some very tasteful and sparingly rationed Ry Cooder-style guitar licks and gently soulful backing vocals. The canvas right here is so huge, I might virtually think about a rap or Coltrane-like sax wail manifesting throughout an instrumental break. Swamp Funk meets Zimmerman on the crossroads of British Orwellian desolation. Ace monitor.
The album closes with Bedford enthusing in regards to the sense of escape to be discovered inside nature, this apparently following the grotesque restrictions of Covid. ”The Lapwing’s Name” options melodic minor chords, trademark mild harmonies and a few actually efficient instrumental timing parts. Sustaining the excessive bar quality-wise, it’s a radiant closure to a surprising set of songs constituting a veritable labyrinth of musical dexterity and exploration.
”Unusual Information Has Come To City” is a long-awaited album, which took a number of years to finish, with Bedford and Simmonds – like many people – dogged by the affect of the pandemic, private well being points and accompanying monetary difficulties.
The wait was properly value it and Naomi and Paul have delivered bigtime. It’s a superb album which completely showcases their particular person and mixed skills, while marking out a creatively authoritative line within the sand, to all different would-be British Folks feminine/male duos. Relating to this style, Bedford and Simmonds are the undisputable British ‘Guvernors’, one thing that ”Unusual Information Has Come To City” underlines most powerfully.
The album can be out there from Bandcamp in the end
Full Credit
DUSTY WILLOW RECORDINGS Distributed by PROPER DISTRIBUTION
PRODUCED BY – Ben Walker, Jake Rousham, Paul Simmonds, Naomi Bedford and Noah Bramley
Lead Vocals – Naomi Bedford and Paul Simmonds
Backing Vocals – Donna Edmead and Xan Tyler
Guitar and Mandolin – Paul Simmonds
Shruti Field and Appalachian Dulcimer – Naomi Bedford
Harmonies and 12 String guitar – Richard Leo
Bass – Phil Jones
Banjo and Harmonica – Scott Smith
Mandolin and Guitar – Ben Walker
Drums – Adam Ronchetti and Billy Abbott
All phrases by Richard David
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