Album Review: Richard Kitson - Home and Dry (Self Release)

Barnsley-based Richard Kitson has been playing around the South Yorkshire area since 2004 as a solo singer-songwriter/guitarist. Having dabbled in the post-punk band Strawberry Jack in 1999 he went on to further dabble in a handful of blues-based outfits before heeding to the urge of trying his hand as a solo performer. Influenced by the likes of Bert Jansch, Davy Graham, Rory Gallagher and Big Bill Broonzy, Richard learned his craft as countless others had done before, by wearing out the record collection whilst snapping a few strings tuning up and down between standard and DADGAD no doubt.

The familiar route of first hearing Bob Dylan and then following the obligatory adventure of discovering the past, uncovering along the way the delights of early country blues giants, the Big Bills, Mississippi Johns and Libby Cottons, not to mention the Woody Guthries, Cisco Houstons and Rambling Jacks, brought to this pair of impressionable Barnsley ears, a growing fascination with the music; so much so, that the act consuming these influences became just as important as breathing.

HOME AND DRY captures some of those endeavours with fourteen self-penned songs, each borrowing from a veritable catalogue of blues and folk styles hand picked along the way. The haunting Robin Hood's Bay is certainly reminiscent of Jansch's distinctively heavy-handed guitar approach that can be heard on such memorable songs as Fresh as a Sweet Sunday Morning and Blackwaterside for instance, whilst Redundant Blues owes more to Wizz Jones both in terms of the derivative guitar style and the lyrical content. Meanwhile, the instrumental Gypsy Vanner sees Richard tipping his hat towards Classical influences and the piece is played here with focus and assurance. Richard manages to bring all these influences together to make them his own.

Richard's own developing style of guitar accompaniment to songs such as Hold the Line and Elope is less noticeably derivative and serves to underpin the content of some of the more sensitive songs on the album. Having said that, for one of the most sensitive songs included here, Richard returns to one of his main influences with the Jansch-worthy lullaby and lilting guitar accompaniment on the dreamy Tears.

With a supporting cast of friends such as Kat Gilmore on violin, mandolin and backing vocals, Marjorie Paterson on cello, Leon Davies on drums and percussion and Gerry McNeice (who gets where water can't) on double bass, Richard has produced, along with Dean Jordon, a record that suitably sums up what you are likely to hear at one of his live appearances.

Allan Wilkinson
Northern Sky