• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

sounds magazine

Sounds Magazine

  • Home
  • ABOUT SOUNDS
    • ABOUT SOUNDS
    • CONTACT
    • MERCH
    • STAFF
  • FEATURES
    • JAWS
    • COLUMNISTS
  • On The Road
  • Reviews
    • BOOK REVIEWS
    • ALBUMS
    • TRACKS
  • Blowin
  • News
    • Sounds Playlist
  • 20/04/2018

SAM AND THE BLACK SEAS – SILVER FIT AND THE CONNIPTIONS – THE OLD BLUE WITCH

10/06/2017 By Martin Ryan

SHARE Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The current sound of folk music no doubt extends beyond these two releases but for now both Sam and the Black Seas and Fit and the Conniptions current offerings provide a snapshot of what is out there in the independent world of this eternal genre.

‘Silver’ is essentially a story so far of the fleeting career of the aptly named Sam and the Black Seas. Nine tracks in total, including four previously released singles, ensures that even the first time listener must find something likeable within the soothing melodic arrangements of this acoustic four-piece, whose twin guitars and drums are augmented by a lilting cello. Indeed with a total running time of 35 minutes this release seems tailor made for the resurgent vinyl market that must surely be the preferred format for devotees of folk music as it is for jazz buffs.

The album’s opener ‘Something Went Wrong’ sounds conspicuously more like the gentle opening track that used to remind listeners we are dealing with an album, rather than an included single. In fact the varied pace and, at times, sparse accompaniment even suggests a band not conforming to the demands of an industry that uses terms like logistics to define the requirements of record releases.

In short a confident enough debut from an outfit at ease with their own worth and hopefully a growing repertoire.

By contrast Fit and the Conniptions, or more specifically singer songwriter Wayne Myers who describes his music as bluesy folk rock and is the only constant in an ever changing line up, is an old hand at the game. The Old Blue Witch is the fourth album credited to Fit and the Conniptions, albeit with a three year gap separating each release.

Whilst Myers is content to plough the familiar furrow of traditional folk music, covering the standard “Joe Hill” with the lyrics partially altered to immortalise the RMT trade unionist Bob Crow and his skirmishes with the papers, much of this offering has a darker edge befitting what is at times an angry tirade against those perceived as perpetrators of human injustice.

The main target here is the “Old Blue Witch” of the title track. Before investigating the music within, the cover art clearly shows a demented Thatcher taunting the striking miners, whilst the lyrics pull no punches concurring with music fans who downloaded “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead” to remind, “The old blue witch is dead”. Or until the population unite to oust the tories from power, “That old blue witch ain’t dead.”

Not that New Labour escapes unscathed with ”What Kelly Knew” questioning the facts surrounding the death of Dr David Kelly and the subsequent Hutton Enquiry with the death of Robin Cook being added to the suspicious circumstances.
Perhaps the sombre tones of the political questioning can shift this album into the realms of uneasy listening, although, Myers manages to drift back from the edges of despair, most notably on the final track “Brenda Finn” where the lady in question, presumably the role model who suffers alopecia, is serenaded to a frolicking Irish jig.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Reddit
  • Twitter
  • More
  • Pinterest
  • Print
  • Pocket

Related

Filed Under: Albums

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

News

RICHIE RAMONE – ONCE A RAMONE, ALWAYS A RAMONE!

RICHIE RAMONE – ONCE A RAMONE, ALWAYS A RAMONE!

Glenn Knudsen had the privilege of catching up with one of America’s most revered punk rockers recently ... here’s what went down! Richie Ramone enjoyed almost a five year stint with The Ramones, and  is one of only three surviving [...Read More]

CALLING ALL STATUS QUO FANS!

CALLING ALL STATUS QUO FANS!

McVention 2018 – The Scottish Status Quo Convention –  will be held across Friday 12th and Saturday 13th of October at The Classic Grand in Glasgow, with 8 of Europes finest Status Quo tribute bands on the bill. McVention 2018 [...Read More]

Lindsey Buckingham has parted ways with Fleetwood Mac

Lindsey Buckingham has parted ways with Fleetwood Mac

Variety reports that Lindsey Buckingham has parted ways with Fleetwood Mac — reportedly being fired after a dispute over touring. Buckingham’s last performance with the band was in January, when the group were MusiCares Person of the Year honorees preceding [...Read More]

Rowetta Talks Happy Mondays

Rowetta Talks Happy Mondays

Ahead of the band’s big show at the Macclesfield Festival in July, we caught up with Happy Mondays singer and general Manchester legend Rowetta to see how things have been going since the band got back together. Sounds: How’s has [...Read More]

James Reveals New Four-Track EP

James Reveals New Four-Track EP

Manchester legends James will release a brand new four-track EP to coincide with their already-announced tour of intimate venues in May. The Better Than That EP is the band’s first release since the hugely successful album Girl at the End [...Read More]

Farewell Raphael Doyle …

Farewell Raphael Doyle …

We are saddened by the news that Cafe Society’s Raphael Doyle, lost his battle with motor neurones disease on Friday March 30th 2018. If you didn’t catch the interview with him in 2016, here it is again. His album “Never [...Read More]

Manchester’s Ist Ist Release Debut EP

Manchester’s Ist Ist Release Debut EP

One of Manchester’s most powerful up-and-coming bands, Ist Ist, is set to release their debut EP on April 6th and embark on their biggest UK tour to date. Over the past year or so, they’ve been gaining a loyal following [...Read More]

Archives

  • April 2018 (9)
  • March 2018 (23)
  • February 2018 (18)
  • January 2018 (13)
  • December 2017 (15)
  • November 2017 (18)
  • October 2017 (13)
  • September 2017 (9)
  • August 2017 (21)
  • July 2017 (30)
  • June 2017 (24)
  • May 2017 (15)
  • April 2017 (28)
  • March 2017 (36)
  • February 2017 (23)
  • January 2017 (17)
  • December 2016 (70)
  • November 2016 (119)
  • October 2016 (15)

Footer

  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Advertise
Contact
Privacy
Cookies
Sitemap

Copyright © 2018 · Sounds Magazine · Site by Samu·

By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies.