Seth Lakeman - Tales From The Barrel House
Artist: Seth Lakeman
Album: Tales From The Barrel House
Label: Honour Oak Records
OUT NOW
Rating: 4.5/5
This week sees Seth Lakeman release his sixth solo album and this really is a solo album as Lakeman has penned all the tracks as well as played all the instruments on the record and served as producer.
This really is a very heartfelt record from start to finish as Lakeman has poured his heart and soul into not only the lyrics but the sound of the album.
More Than Money is the opening track on the album, and it just so happens to be one of the best tracks on the record, and there is a real contemporary feel to the folk to the track.
Tales From The Barrel House really is a 21st Century folk/country album but there is a real craftsman feel to it, much like the professions he sings about in the likes of Blacksmiths Prayer and The Watchmaker’s Rhyme.
The Watchmaker’s Rhyme has some really beautiful strings on it that bring the track to life, and complement Lakeman’s vocals beautifully.
And Lakeman has really understated and almost earthy vocals and there is a real hard work and gritty feel to the way that he sings - which fits in so well with the feel of this album.
Lakeman mixes a slow and fast pace on Hard Road, which is another great track, there is a real laboured feel to the chorus before the vocals and the strings pick up the pace with the chorus.
Some of the slower paced tracks on the record such as The Sender and Salt from Our Veins does seen the album lose a little momentum, these are perhaps some of the weaker songs on the album..
There is a real stripped back feel to Takes From the Barrel House as Lakeman has relied on the power of his vocals and the instruments used to really bring this album alive rather then complicated, and often over-powering production.
Seth Lakeman really has delivered a very beautiful album into which he has poured a whole host of emotion, that emotion can be heard in every word that he sings.
And there is a real story behind every one of the tracks on this album that it is one of the greatest folk records of recent years.
Seth Lakeman - Tales From The Barrel House is out now
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw