Released on Pure Records March 15th 2019
Sam
Kelly is now a respected and admired institution:part of English
(indeed British) Folk Music tradition. He speaks for many of us
across the generations,but also represents responsibly a younger
faction who take a broader,more modern approach to recording or
performing material. He's getting close to being an institution. Not
having met him or seen him interviewed, I'd be intrigued to hear how
he feels about that.
Like
many of his contemporaries he is not averse to revisiting older
material,or afraid of tackling new projects. But I find his work is
always respectful and appropriate. The net result has been a string
of enjoyable releases, either by him,in collaboration with others or
generously sharing out the influences of a plethora of talented
musicians. It's getting to a point where you can hear something and
identify its Kelly provenance within a few notes-and that is the
hallmark of a true
“style.”
Consequently
I tend to approach anything new from Sam with anticipation and some
excitement because I know the outcome will be thoughtful and
interesting. I know the arrangements will be imaginative and
sensitive. The vocals sublime. The instrumentation damn near perfect.
And as yet-I have never been proved wrong. For me, Damien O'Kane has
the same sort of pedigree. I can pick his house style out swiftly now
too, on Kate Rusby's work or embedded in his own-and within a few
bars of listening,his style is recognisable. With him being the
producer of Changeable Heart and it being recorded at Kate Rusby's
Pure Records studio, this album promises all one could hope for. The
perfect match. And it does not disappoint.
I
knew a lot less about Ruth Notman before receiving a copy of this
album. She caused a stir in Folk circles between 2007-2009 and then
disappeared to follow a career in medicine. But this release made me
want to go and find out more about her. I understand fully now why
Sam sought Ruth out and persuaded her to record again. Shrewd work.
Cumulatively,
Changeable Heart is a fine piece of work. The
musicianship,arrangement and production is everything one has come to
expect from these talented people. Stir in a bit of magic from guest
musicians like Josh Clark,Anthony Davis,Ross Ainslie and Mr. O'Kane
himself and the end product is going to be pretty obvious. If you
like The Lost Boys or “Avenging
and Bright”
or The Changing Room-you'll love this. I've already played it a lot
on my home system and plundered it ruthlessly for “Anker Folk”
airplay. It's going to win awards in 2019 and afterwards-so watch
out!
“School
Days Over,”
is a stand out track for me. I could write a film screenplay around
that track alone. It's a Ewan MacColl cover apparently, though not
one I am familiar with. It is brilliantly and achingly sung. Ruth's
unaccompanied voice opens the track with just the right catch in her
voice. Some atmospheric melancholy O'Kane magic swirls in underneath
the vocal as the story of loss of youth collides head on with the
harsh reality of growing up. It's a brief tale of the brutal transfer
from classroom to pit face. Sam's harmonies join a swelling refrain.
I defy anyone with a heart to listen to this with a dry eye. It made
my heart ache.
By
contrast, “The
Cunning Cobbler”
is a lot more vernacular. A raunchy,saucy song it trades on the Folk
tradition of weaving double entendre and innuendo into a lively tale.
A story is told,a denouement is delivered and all to a boisterous
soundtrack which bounces along at a rollicking pace.
Sex,promiscuity,deception-all the usual ingredients are there.
“Sweet
Lass of Richmond Hill”
is something many of us had to learn at school. It receives a
makeover far removed from school choirs and music lessons as Sam
first takes the lead .A lone voice with guitar and piano forms an
atmospheric tapestry: Ruth adds the embellishment. Another world away
from my memories of Mrs Russell and her grand piano plonking away in
the Parish Rooms of All Saints C.of E. It is a trick Sam repeats in
“My
Lagan Love.” Layers
of light and shade. Beautiful.
Besides
these two triumphs of interpretation, elsewhere the team apply their
art conscientiously to other Trad. arr. Songs such as “Bold
Fisherman,” “Caw The Yowes” and
“Young
Brian of The Wold.” These
examples are relatively jolly and upbeat-so this is not the usual
litany of death and destruction which occasionally haunts some Folk
collections.
“The
Island”
is their modern treatment of a Paul Brady classic. The cutting lyrics
paint bleak images of the mess we've all made of human existence and
combine them with an idealistic but understandable urge to escape
from all this reality and despair sometimes and just and bury
ourselves in sweet oblivion. A clever interpretation of a brilliant
song.
The
duo also turn their hand to songwriting in the title track
“Changeable Heart”
and Ruth herself penned “As
You Find Your Way Home.” Ruth
and Sam (and Damien) continue to apply a lot of shades to a broad
canvas,keeping the listener occupied and taking us through a range of
emotions.
The
CD I had has simple and colourful artwork back and front, with the
heart motif repeated inside on a picture disc and throughout in an
enclosed booklet containing all credits and all lyrics. Such
attention to detail is typical of the artistes involve.Overall
there is a subtle, sepia-toned sense of reminiscence and nostalgia to
these songs. Changeable Heart never ever strays into schmaltz or
sentimentality-the production and the chemistry of voices ensures
that. Instead it creates a synergy which is pure almost to the point
of distraction. It's a collection of songs-originals and covers which
you will enjoy listening to over and over again. But have a hankie
ready!
