Poor Man's Heaven - Seth Lakeman Album Review

Seth Lakeman

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Album Review

Poster Boy of Folk continues controversy.

For some time now, since the arrival of 2004's Kitty Jay and 2005 Mercury nominated debut, Devonian Seth Bernard Lakeman has set tongues wagging. Folk purists are in a bit of a spin as to where his music actually lies. There were the Hip Hop nods on Gold selling follow-up Freedom Fields to compound things. To confirm he'd 'arrived' he was awarded Singer Of The Year and Best Album at 2007s BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Poor Man's Heaven is far more expansive and adventurous still. As the violinist of the moment, 31 year old Lakeman has bigger ideas - stadium engulfing power, with a twist.

His intent is there from the start - The Hurlers. Its thumping drum intro is the perfect stab start for a radio DJ's opening shot. Soon the frantic violin kicks - in boosted by a whopping call.. "Come on boys you know where you stand..." on this Irish-tinged monster. The hooks are unrelenting. The rockier template continues Feather In The Storm, like much of his work, it includes story-telling traditions of folk. The most noticeable inclusion here is the Jimmy Page styled slide guitar and Zep-like rock riff, which settles down into a neat Bluesy sway. Things go more trad for the next two. He introduces splashes of mandolin, accordion and harmonica (Crimson Dawn) though Blood Red Sky has a slightly rockier edge on ominous Blood Red Sky. The sad tale of tragic event surrounding the ill-fated Penlee lifeboat are brought into sharp focus on Solomon Brown, intended to keep the story very much alive through his deeply emotive lyrics. Again Led Zep (3) influences surface for melodic ballad I'll Haunt You, whereas Irish jig fuelled Race To Be King is a sprightly and bouncy full-on example of Lakeman's mastery of folky playing. For me the weak spots are the title track and laborious Green And Gold, though simple ballad Sound Of A Drum, a reworking of traditional song The Unquiet Grave, restores the balance, just.

File under: Keeps moving.

Elly Roberts