A 'Wales and West Country band' [read bio here], this is as simple and direct an album of folk oriented songs you will hear, all self-penned, from a a band that performs at pubs, clubs, festivals and weddings covering songs from 'Nick Drake to Gillian Welch' so their collective ears are well tuned to quality. And this quality is conveyed through their own music, carried primarily on the fresh, honest and affecting vocal of Sam Brown with strong fiddle accompaniment from Tim Brown, especially on the closing pretty song Play On, Mr Hartley - and it is on this favourite that Sam Brown reminds me most of Beverly Martyn. Another fine example of their songcraft and performing can be heard on the beautiful Caitlin's Daughter, a song about Dylan Thomas, which can be listened to on their site, along with two others:
Caitlin's Daughter
Words and Music by Dont Tell Johnny
The Boathouse was the home to Caitlin’s daughter
Seabirds calling overhead glinting light on mud and water
‘Sloe black, crow black fishing boat bobbing sea’
Now that you are gone what good is that to me?
‘Slow black, bible black’ whiskey is the pill
Mothers at the window, left over life to kill
Eighteen straight whiskies was an insult to the brain
To New York for a dollar never coming home again
....to Caitlin’s daughter
‘Sloe black, crow black fishing boat bobbing sea’
Now that you are gone what good is that to me?
‘Slow black, bible black’ whiskey is the pill
Mothers at the window, left over life to kill
Pictures and the memories, tourists in the lanes
A boathouse and a writing shed are all now that remains
...of Caitlin’s daughter
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