JIM CAUSLEY - Forgotten Kingdom
Hands On Music HMCD41
Released through Show Of Hands’ label, this is Jim Causley’s first album of original songs: “I’ve been singing other people’s songs for a long time and decided it was time to start singing some of my own.” What a fine songwriter he turns out to be too: one or two earlier songs are here revisited (Rewind from his debut album and the gorgeous Summer’s End, previously recorded by Jackie Oates).
Jackie is one of the impressive array of musicians who provide backing on this outstanding collection. She is joined by Show Of Hands, Hannah Martin, Kathryn Roberts, Seth and Sean Lakeman, Lukas Drinkwater and several others. Yet all are employed sparingly and to great effect, enhancing the song in each case, without exception.
Despite the rich array of subject matter (history, nature, music making, friendship in its many forms) and tone (from deeply sad to cheekily jokey), all these songs are imbued with the spirit and vision of his beloved native Devon, where the album was recorded. In fact, the album comes with Jim’s detailed and considered monograph on The Kingdom of Dumnonia, the now-ignored West Country kingdom of the Iron Age. It is fascinating and informative, almost worth the purchase of the album in its own right.
At the end of this very different sleeve note (the CD incidentally contains a full set of lyrics and detailed musician credits), Jim advises: “Much of Dumnonia lies waiting to be discovered….Go find it!” He certainly has and we can only be grateful that he has chosen to share it with us on this impeccable release.
www.jimcausley.co.uk
Nigel Schofield
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this CD online from The Listening Post The Listening Post is the CD mailorder service of The Living Tradition magazine. This album was reviewed in Issue 113 of The Living Tradition magazine. |