There are some folk artists who are content to serve the tradition faithfully, playing clubs and festivals and keeping alive the songs and tunes. There are others whose artistry will always take them beyond this to musical and lyrical territories far beyond the usual confines. Jon Boden is one such musician. Whether it is the careful reinterpretations as a duo with John Spiers, the ‘big band folk’ exuberance of Bellowhead or the reputation he is creating for his inventive theatrical scores with the RSC, he is as skilled as he is diverse. His solo efforts are no exception.
His debut album, Painted Lady, explored the darker areas of love, spirituality and life accompanied by concertina, fiddle and a tasty overdriven and tremelo’d electric guitar. This is a musical theme he certainly carries over to the sophomore release. However, there is a maturity, less of a need to prove himself that marks this as an improvement. For example, his sensitive acoustic guitar-playing is more prominent, and the lyrics have a more ponderous feel. The folk, vaguely medieval, turn to the melodies is still present, owing something to the prog/folk/rock bands of the 1970’s (I think I detect a debt to Jethro Tull in the second track, ‘Going Down to the Wasteland’ – and no bad thing).
The tone generally is one of world-weariness, with regular references to spirituality and longing. Lyricallyit is an impressive effort, if occassionally obscure. But there is something inspiring in the way he weaves his words, such as this line from ‘Days Gone By’:
They too had seen the whirlwind,
The shining black procession,
Screaming past like Gods ascending through a tarmac sky
A fine album – genre busting, mystifying and very, very satisfying.
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