Winter Wilson Album Review

Published in November 2019 edition of Folk Monthly magazine

Live and Unconventional                             Winter Wilson

           Winter Wilson were invited to support Fairport Convention on their Winter Tour of 2018. Those of us who know them and have followed their continuing rise to national recognition were not in the least surprised by this. Thereafter, Kip and Dave could be excused for embracing Luvviedom and turning their back on their roots, as some starstruck Folk musicians sometimes do. But they haven't done this. 
     They remain a charming,friendly and approachable couple. This is reflected in their music which remains sincere,warm and sensitive. Dave's versatile and accomplished musicianship remains outstanding. His voice and Kip's work so well together that their harmonies seem effortless. But they are not. It takes hard work, great professionalism and enthusiasm for the genre, mixed in with the pure joy of performance, to reach and then sustain performance at this level.

         This album contains some new material and five re-workings of original content from previous albums. One Sandy Denny song is the only cover. The remaining songs were all composed by Dave Wilson. A talented duo:Dave plays guitar and Banjo whilst the album design,artwork and much of the photography is by Kip herself. (Who besides having a tremendous voice also plays piano accordion and guitar on the album).Its just not fair!

        Unsurprisingly they are also able to summon a formidable array of musicians to supplement the sound. Dave Pegg (bass guitar): Simon Nicol (guitar) Gerry Conway (drums) Rick Sanders(violin) and Chris Leslie(mandolin and whistle) also contribute to various tracks.All recorded,engineered and mixed with the integrity we have come to expect from them. The “Unconventional” part (other than a clever pun on The Fairports) comes,I think from the fact that two “live” tracks were recorded as part of a Sound Check rather than before a live audience.

        'Merciful Father' and 'I'd rather be Ashes Than Dust' are both from the 2016 album Ashes and Dust. 'Ghost', 'Grateful For The Rain' and 'Far Off On The Horizon' have previously featured on the 2018 album of the same name. Of the newer stuff, 'Storm Around Tumbledown' is a Dave Wilson song first recorded by Vin Garbutt. 'I wish I could turn back time' is a reflective song about our lost Mining Industry and closed Collieries. 'Tried and Tested' is a bluesy homage to Bonnie Raitt with a funny intro by Kip. 'Orange Trees and Dusty Roads' is an evocative nod to The Grapes of Wrath and Tom Joad. 'Still Life In The Old Dog Yet' ( like 'It'll Take a Long Time' ) features the full Fairport line-up and is another Wilson reflection on the wasted resources and frittered away years brought on by redundancies and the crushing of our manufacturing base, At times it sounds uncannily like a John Richards song.( Which given his connection with Fairport is not that surprising!)

          All tracks are of a playable length and nicely compact. All are shorter than six minutes and a couple are under four. If I had a penny for every band who make the mistake of slipping into the temptation of recording extended versions of their set list songs on “Live” albums then I would have-well One Shilling and sixpence in old money.

        The CD is beautifully presented. A gate fold case has ample credits and sleeve notes included plus inside is a lyric booklet and in the copy I had was also a Winter Wilson Coaster. ( Us tegestologists would call that a beer mat-but it's a very clever touch!).

      One of the best releases of 2019,it has already won fulsome praise via published reviews and will definitely feature in The Anker Folk Album of The Year Show. Winter Wilson are in constant demand for tours and club nights,so you can see them virtually anywhere over the next 12 months. Including Nuneaton Folk Club where we are delighted to welcome them back in 2020. It is a major coup for us that they have agreed to appear there.