Lost Revellers - Midnight Circus

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 27 / 8 / 2019

---

Review

Midnight Circus’ is the aptly-named debut album from Lost Revellers that follows on from their self-titled EP released back in 2017. The four-piece band have already been featured on BBC Radio 3 as well as local BBC stations, and they have built up a considerable following through their performances at festivals and gigs covering the length of the UK as well as a tour of Germany. A folk-fusion band is how these four musicians described the music they make together and it’s a fair indication of their sound, although far from the whole story. With Richard Moore on violin, viola and guitar, Caitlin Roberts playing the accordion and adding backing vocals, Juan Pablo Mauro handling bass duties and Luigi Cibrario occupying the drum seat, the band mix original tunes (usually collaborations between Moore and Roberts) with their imaginative arrangements of classical, jazz and world folk tunes. Not something, on paper at least, that would appeal to many it might seem. Now this writer is well out of his depth and comfort zone when it comes to classical music, not to say that it doesn’t have its time and place in this corner of the world, but I’m not that qualified to have an opinion as to if the Lost Revellers' take on Chopin’s ‘Prelude, Op.28 No. 20’ has qualities that others lack; but it’s a beautifully played and produced (by Moore) piece of music that makes this listener feel its time to broaden his musical boundaries once more. There is evidence though that the band have probably added their own touch to that piece and the other classical tracks on ‘Midnight Circus’ (Bach’s ‘Invention No.1 in C Major') in that their take on more familiar songs such as ‘Moscow Nights’ displays more than a touch of musical creativity. One of the qualities that make Lost Revellers such compelling listening is that they mix elements from a wide variety of musical sources into their interpretation of such a song. Eastern-European folk music is highly evident along with what is commonly described as gypsy-jazz; there are also traces of Celtic music in there somewhere too. It’s all very impressive the way the band combine all these various elements into their sound, but what is even more impressive are the original compositions by Moore and Roberts. Of the two original vocal cuts on ‘Midnight Circus’, ‘Out of the City’ is the one to aim for if you’re looking for the best example of just how original and creative the band are. Featuring stunning vocals from Lettie MacLean, the song takes in most of the elements mentioned above at some point during its development to make it a highlight on the album. ‘Shoestring Dream’ on which Paul Roberts provides the vocals again displays the wide range of influences the band draw from. ‘Josephine’ is another Moore and Roberts' original which shows just how brilliantly the musicians merge their various influences together; the way the various instruments gel together is yet another indication of how this group of musicians share the same vision and also of how talented they all are. The traditional ‘Mist Covered Mountains’ is given a new lease of life in their hands; the imagery the various players and their instruments conjure up is striking. But an original tune, as short as it is, ‘Transitoire’ is just as atmospheric and striking. ‘Dystopian Discotheque’ is further confirmation that the band really has no musical boundaries and an indication that they are one to put on the list of bands to catch live. Once in a while an album comes along that touches the listener in an unexpected way, an album that mixes classical, gypsy jazz, Celtic and Eastern European folk music that would normally pass many by, but it would be their loss; ‘Midnight Circus’ is one of the most original and creative sets of songs you’ll hear all year. It’s well worth your time to check it out; these musicians really do shine.

Track Listing:-

1 Midnight Circus
2 Swing 39
3 Prelude, Op 28, No, 20
4 Shoestring Dream
5 Josephine
6 Mist Covered Mountains
7 Moscow Nights
8 Transitoire
9 Out Of The City
10 Dystopian Discotheque
11 Czardas
12 Invention No.1 in C Major BWV 772