|
|
 |
 |
|
 |
| |
|
| |
Hayman, Watkins, Trout & Lee
Hayman, Watkins, Trout & Lee
Fortuna Pop!
|
Article
written by Paul M
Mar 16, 2008.
|
Hayman, Watkins, Trout and Lee are a side project for members of the Wave Pictures (Dave Tattersall) and the now sadly defunct Hefner (Darren Hayman) and Tompaulin (Simon Trought), and describe themselves as “bluegrass for beginners” on their Myspace page. Most peoples view of this music will be dictated by the Coen Brothers’ O Brother, Where Art Thou? and TV’s sentimental beholder of Christian values, the Waltons; scruffy, unshaven folk in oversized trousers having a right old musical ding dong with banjoes, accordion, guitar and washboards for instruments.
The band was originally conceived as just a bit of live fun for the participants but this album, a balance of covers and their own self-penned material, is a terrific collection of rootsy folk and country ballads. They were recorded in Hayman’s kitchen over a couple of days but there’s still a depth and quality to the songs that mean you’ll be glad that you don’t have to wait for their occasional airing in a dingy back room in an East End boozer to re-hear them.
True to tradition the melodies are led in turn by banjo, fiddle, electric bass or acoustic guitar with the other instruments harmonising around the lead. There’s a mixture of the bluesy, doleful and, downright clapalongingly cheerful but the quality is consistent throughout. Indeed Tecumseh Valley would bring a lump to the throat of even the most insensitive of souls and Dirty Tube Train joins the ever growing list of magnificent Hayman compositions; an all too brief ode to a passing flirtation on the Northern line. HWTL might not sport the whiskers or reek of hooch and refried beans, and the accents are distinctly English rather than an American hick drawl, but who needs to go to Kentucky when we’ve got these lonesome boys poking a campfire near Bethnal Green.
Untitled Document
What
people are wittering about on the SoundsXP forums right now...
Spread the word: Email this article
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
RSS | MESSAGE
BOARDS | SEARCH
Calling
all music fans based in the UK... Do you want your views to be read
by 5000 people a day? Contact 
