Gilmore and Roberts - Conflict Tourism

by Benjamin Howarth

published: 23 / 10 / 2015

Label: GR! Records
Format: CD

intro

Appealing second album from harmony-laden British folk duo, Gilmore and Roberts

With four albums, many more tours and plenty of BBC folk award nominations under their belts, Katriona Gilmore and Jamie Roberts have become two of the more recognisable voices on the resurgent British modern-folk scene. Their latest album treads plenty of well-worn themes, and with songs like 'Jack O Lantern' and 'Peggy Airey' has its feet firmly in the traditionalists' camp, but is in fact entirely self written. As with their last album, the widely acclaimed 'The Innocent Left' (2012), the production is pure-pop, but done in such a way that it never feels like they are abandoning their folk roots. The core of the sound remains the interplay between Gilmore's fiddle and Roberts' acoustic, but around this the unmistakable sheen of radio friendly pop beefs things up. Understandably, they have their eye on Bellowhead's audience. When it all kicks, it's an invigorating mix – and is often irresistably catchy. At its best, it is simply sublime – two ballads 'She Doesn't Like Silence' and 'Selfish Man' sit back-to-back on the album, with choruses an X-Factor contestant would kick Simon Cowell for, but given life by delicate arrangements and, frankly, the restraint and sense of good taste that you'd never expect to find in a talent contest. Audiences at their live shows will be listening to songs like these for many years to come. There are a few uncomfortable moments when they turn on the amps, and we are left with an unappealing form of pop-metal. As the power chords on 'Stumble on the Seam' kick in, I was left thinking of MTV2 in the early 2000s, and long blacked memories of Linkin Park. It's a shame that a couple of tracks jar on the ear in this way, because as they show on the almost a cappella 'Balance/Imbalalance', there need be no reason why their music can not both sound like folk music and be artistically challenging. Meanwhile, 'Peggy Airey' has the uplifting effect they try and get with the electric guitars, but sounds so much convincing when delivered on the folk instruments, and still leaves room for a foot stomping fiddle solo. Judicious use of the skip button should protect you from the nu-metal moments, and shouldn't put anyone off investigating one of the UK folk scene's most deservedly admired live acts.

Track Listing:-

1 Cecilia
2 Jack O Lantern
3 She Doesn't Like Silence
4 Selfish Man
5 Stumble on the Seam
6 Balance / Imbalance
7 Peggy Airey
8 Time Soldiers On
9 Peter Pan
10 Warmonger
11 Ghost of a Ring

Band Links:-

http://www.gilmoreroberts.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/GilmoreAndRoberts
https://www.youtube.com/user/gilmoreroberts
https://twitter.com/gilmoreroberts