Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
Within the search, hope must lay that we discover something of ourselves, that we open the doors of our souls and capture forever the feeling of having become one of nature’s Bold Champions, one of the people who follow through on their plans to add a moment to the world and be entwined with its joy. The search may be fruitless in terms of profit, but in lifting the spirits of others it must be considered a benefit, and to the courageous, those who support and back their words with actions, that is point of the search.
It is a search that has been highlighted with beautiful precision by the skilfully renowned The Dovetail Trio as they produce one of the most authentic albums of the last ten years, captured in just one room across a couple of days, the exploration of the English Folk narrative is hunted, prized for its intricate use of phrase and heritage and finally released as the three musicians know they have examined not only a series of quality songs, but also their reasons for doing so, and the result is a moment of understanding pleasure.
The second album release by The Dovetail Trio is one that frames the trio neatly, Rosie Hood’s vocals is engaging and when placed beside Matt Quinn and Jamie Roberts’ instrumental prowess, the tension grows to the point where passion has nowhere to go but burst out dynamically, the brightness of songs such as Black Eyed Susan, Death & The Lady, Flower of London, The Wreck of The Northfleet and the beguiling finale of Four & Twenty Fiddlers make the senses stand up and take notice, brings a wonderful melancholic joy to the adventure that the listener has found they have been invited upon.
To perform songs that have haunted the Folk scene and yet give them a new energy, a fresh purpose is to be congratulated, for it takes bravery to explore a place where many have been and yet come away with evidence of something that has been missed. The reason why we explore is not to find a treasure that people will kill for, but rather to make our own time on Earth one of constant learning, one in which is framed in making our soul ring true.
Ian D. Hall