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Poor Man's Heaven

A moody Seth Lakeman looks out from the cover of his latest album, set against a backdrop of a rugged coastline and a bruised sky. That coastline can only be that of Cornwall, Lakeman is as rooted in that South Western landscape as Thomas Hardy was to his mythical Wessex. The comparison to Hardy is no fanciful one, as Hardy's work was shot through with reference to its landscape and the natural world. A canvas over which the protagionists of his novels and poems lived out their dramas and tragedies. Likewise Lakeman evokes that stark chiaruscuro portrait of a land, it's people and their lives.

Rhythm and percussion are at the heart of Seth's art, his voice, guitar and fiddle playing all revolving around a powerful heartbeat of energy that is captured perfectly on this album. First track is The Hurlers and it bursts in with a barrage of drumming, then vocal, guitar and then fiddle. It's a bold brave statement of intent for the whole album, signalling the energy that carries through every song. Much is being said of it sounding like this or that, more rock, more Led Zep... Actually it only sounds like one thing - Seth Lakeman becoming one of the most important artists in modern British music.

If you are a fan of Lakeman then everything you love is here in spades, his voice is exquisite, capable of aggressive passion and gentle sentiment. The stories woven contain an ancient energy; although only two are trad arrangements, Lakeman's writing has his customary edge and bite. Three of the songs are co-written with Steve Knightley, another shining light from the West Country.

Musically, the step out of recording in someone's kitchen into the studio, whilst inevitable, doesn't signal a sea change in sound or production. Brother Sean once again co-produces, he's also been producing on the new Levellers album Letters From The Underground. His ability and sound judgement have developed alongside Seth's and the album is wonderfully cohesive, and being signed to one of the major record labels in the form of EMI possibly dictates that the mix is very radio-friendly - so expect many singles and inevitable re-mixes.

Seth says: 'It's busy, the sound, but there's a lot of colour, you have some hurdy gurdys in there, the subtle backing vocals of the lovely Kathryn Roberts, also harmonica, which you hear on a Crimson Dawn, those heavy tribal drums at the start that leap out at you...'

He's done it again, produced an album of passion and boiling energy. Lakeman is someone you absolutely must see live, this new clutch of songs will blow away audiences at festivals from Glastonbury to Moseley across the Summer of 2008. Go and see him, and don't you dare sit down...

Iain Hazlewood