Album Review: Ewan McLennan - Rags and Robes (Fellside)

Anyone familiar with Ewan McLennan's music, either having seen him perform at a festival or folk club, or having heard him on the wireless recently, will no doubt be aware that some of the songs on RAGS AND ROBES first appeared a couple of years ago on his self-titled home-made debut. As is the case with many artists these days, once they manage to secure that all important record deal and have the backing of an established label, in this case those nice Adams people at Fellside, then it's prudent to retrace one's steps and re-record some of those initial attempts in order to present a proper and worthy debut. Ewan McLennan has done just that and has now released a stunning collection comprising of a handful of familiar traditional songs, one or two contemporary ballads and a couple of self-penned originals.

With an exceptionally graceful guitar style and distinctive voice, the traditional material such as Tramps and Hawkers, As I Roved Out and Arthur McBride appear to have been given a new lease of life. The crisp guitar sound and confident singing voice, reminiscent of Handful of Earth period Dick Gaughan, has that immediately accessable quality about it.

With the formidable talents of both Peter Tickell (fiddle) and Jackie Oates (viola and harmony vocals), the album is garnished with a sprinkling of intuitive and empathetic accompaniment; a seasoning that complements the song choices particularly well. For those who recall that iconic moment when Joan Baez sang Joe Hill at the Woodstock Festival, reminding many that a folk song can be just as powerful as a Hendrix guitar solo when in the right hands, then the song returns afresh with a haunting viola accompaniment courtesy of Jackie Oates, and is in good hands once again.

Ian Campbell's Old Man's Song is given some pretty convincing unaccompanied treatment, a song infinitely more engaging when sung with such a determined voice. Likewise, the instrumental Jer the Rigger/Flowers of Edinburgh demonstrates Ewan's skill as an accomplished acoustic guitarist. There are shades of Martin Simpson in McLennan's technique, but that's hardly surprising, McLennan being one of Simpson's students.

The two originals included here, Another Morning's Beggar and Yorkshire Regiment, are both of a topical nature, the former addressing homelessness and the latter pondering this ridiculous mess we've once again found ourselves in out in the Middle East. The two songs sit seamlessly amongst the Burns, the MacColl's and the traditional. Familiar to many a festival goer over the past couple of years, Ewan McLennan offers something honest, representative and special to take home with them.

Allan Wilkinson
Northern Sky