Short Reviews [David Carroll and Friends - 2023 - "Bold Reynold"]

I was playing this album the other day, and I was thinking to myself just how much this sounded like classic Fairport Convention in many ways, but there were also some influences from Gryphon (there are only so many outfits who use crumhorns after all), while I could also imagine Ashley Hutchings being involved. A quick check of those who assisted with this did not bring Ashley to light, but I did have to smile at the others. Alongside David Carroll (bouzouki, mandolin, acoustic, electric and high-strung guitars, appalachian dulcimer, uilleann pipes, vocals) there are three members of Gryphon in Brian Gulland (bassoon, contra bassoon, harmonium, soprano alto tenor & bass crumhorns, cor anglais, bass clarinet, church organ, whistle, vocals), Dave Oberle (drums, tubano dancing drum, tablas, bodhran, vocals) and Graeme Taylor (electric guitar) and two from Fairport, Chris Leslie (fiddle, vocals) and Dave Pegg (bass) plus Lucy Cooper (vocals) and Tom Spencer from The Professionals and The Men They Couldn’t Hang on banjo. This is not an album released in 2023, as it fully sounds as if it came out 50 years earlier. There are seven traditional songs out of the nine on offer, all of which will be familiar to folkies everywhere, while the other two are Andy Barnes “The Last Leviathan”, and Dave Cousins’ “The Battle” (a track which featured on the first album by The Strawbs). Apparently, Carroll was a regular on the folk circuit in the Seventies, but when punk came along, he needed to supplement his income so took to repairing and making instruments as well as undertaking session work. It is hard to believe this is his debut solo album as it is full of passion and an underlying strength which makes this an absolute delight from beginning to end. There is the feeling of a master at work, and he is certainly not overshadowed by those who are accompanying him as the arrangements always ensure the vocals are front and centre, yet there is also plenty of room for everyone to express themselves. The guy from Gryphon have long understood the need for space even when they are providing multiple instruments on the same song, while there are few who have played on as many important albums as young Mr Pegg, and here they have brought all their talents to bear on a folk release which is remarkable in so many ways. The use of different singers also ensures one is never quite sure what is going to come next, and Lucy’s lead on “Banks of the Nile” are a delight. This is a folk lover’s delight from beginning to end and absolutely essential for any lover of the genre.