Trembling Bells-Carpeth (2009)

Genre: Indie, Folk, GOOD
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Tracklist

I Listed All Of The Velvet Lessons
I Took To You (Like Christ To Wood)
When I Was Young
The End Is The Beginning Born Knowing
Summer's Waning
Willows Of Carbeth
Your Head Is The House Of Your Tongue
Garlands Of Stars
Seven Years A Teardrop

**** [four stars] Carbeth (Honest Jon’s) Deeply affecting ode to love lost that resonates with the ancient spirit of Britain. Alex Neilson, avant-garde drummer for Will Oldham amongst others, has a theory that folk music is at its heart free, and hence can serve as the base for whatever kind of journey you care to take from it. That theory is put into practice brilliantly on this incredible collection of songs, which combine early music, psychedelic noise, anthemic rock and traditional British melodies to carry tales of heartbreak and yearning. Singer, Lavinia Blackwell’s voice is extraordinarily affecting — it is so pure and light, she sounds more fairy than human — and she brings great te nderness to sad love songs such as Summer's Waning and Garlands Of Stars. Neilson’s own reedy but elemental voice is the perfect foil to this, and the myriad musical ideas are nailed down by classic, disciplined songwriting. Will Hodgkinson (Mojo)