14/05/2012

Orfeo

Fay Hield and the Hurricane Party

It seems appropriate when you step up from a trio to a band to have a new name to go with it, 'The Hurricane Party' is far more evocative than the Fay Hield Band. When you hear that name the initial reaction is to wonder if there is something of Bellowhead or the Remnant Kings about this release, coming as it does from the Boden/Hield household.

You will be confounded if you do, as Fay has done something that should be done far more often in the folk world, hunting the obscure and lesser known versions of popular folk songs. The excellent sleeve notes give the lyrics, origin and details of the arrangements of the eleven songs on the album.

So what do we get? Top class musicians for a start, Jon Boden, Sam Sweeney, Martin Simpson, Andy Cutting and Rob Harbron are like a fantasy folk band, it doesn't come any better. Then it's recorded by Andy Bell, whose magic touch is gracing some of the best albums being released today. This video tells all...

It has to be said that the concentration of top class English folk artists in the Sheffield area is virtually the Bloomsbury Group of Folk. In decades to come their collected songs and tunes will be re-interpreted and adapted by new generations, what better compliment can there be than that?

Iain Hazlewood

www.fayhield.co.uk