Singing Loins - House in the Woods

by Malcolm Carter

published: 1 / 8 / 2011

Label: Vacilando '68
Format: 7"

Insanely catchy double A-sided vinyl only single from Medway-based punk/folk band, the Singing Loins

Review

After a dozen or so albums the Singing Loins, who hail from the Medway Delta, are still unknown to many music lovers. I confess that the band were a new name to this scribe before their new double A-side 7” single landed on my doormat. It appears that founder members Chris ‘Brod’ Broderick (who vocally, on these songs at least, makes a case for being the best English vocalist in any of the bands mining that same punk/folk/rock seam) and guitarist Chris ‘Arfur’ Allen have now recruited two new members in the shape of Rob Shepherd, whose banjo is all over both of these songs, and John Forrester on double bass. I’m not sure how long this line-up has been together but it sounds like they were born to be in the same band. The feeling that these guys are so obviously enjoying playing together shines through every second of this 45. The sound the Singing Loins make is nothing new. With that amount of albums behind them, some must be cut from the same cloth as this single as both songs are revamps of tunes that the guys have recorded before. They are certainly as well not the only band mixing up punk and folk, and turning the resulting ramshackle sound into something which grabs your attention. But these songs are insanely catchy. Broderick’s vocals hit you the moment he opens his mouth to sing. Shane MacGowan and both Mick Jones and Joe Strummer instantly come to mind, while the sound of Shepherd’s banjo and an accordion playing gently in the background give ‘House In The Woods’ instant appeal. Broderick’s ode for a simpler life will not only raise a smile or two but will have you singing along by the end of the first verse. “Time for sitting/Time for loving/Time aplenty for doing nothing/One pair of boots for work and walking/Dust them off when I go a-courting,” Broderick will paint pictures in your mind as the song unfolds. It’s a little gem of a song and will rattle around in your head all day long. ‘Ain’t The World A Lovely Place’ is a little more raucous in places than the previous song but none the worse for that. Again the chorus will have you singing along in no time at all, and will leave you longing to catch this band live at a gig somewhere. Neither ‘House In The Woods’ or ‘Ain’t The World A Lovely Place’ are featured on The Loins latest album, Stuff’, which was released earlier this year, so their fans will naturally want this single, but it also serves as a brilliant introduction to the music of the Singing Loins who are giving folk music the kick up the backside it so often needs to make it more appealing. Now to check out that back catalogue…