Bellowhead - Burlesque (2006)

An anonymous reader (many thanx!) sent me the link to this debut album by Bellowhead, a quite unusual and very interesting folk-funky big band from UK. Another breath of fresh air in the ever-ebullient world of traditional English folk.

«Bellowhead, winners of the BBC Radio 2 folk award for Best Live Act 2005, are a dynamic 11-piece band combining the traditional skills of John Spiers, Jon Boden, Benji Kirkpatrick, Paul Sartin, Rachael McShane and Giles Lewin with the percussion of Pete Flood and the brass quartet of Andy Mellon, Gideon Juckes, Justin Thurgur and Brendan Kelly. While the material is traditional, the execution is far from the norm: full bloodied instrumentals, harmonies from the huge group and some superb dynamics make this one of the most exciting folk albums you could wish to hear.» (Fish Records)

«To describe Bellowhead’s music is a very difficult thing indeed - the material is steeped in the English folk traditions of song and dance, but the feel is exciting, intoxicating, slightly sinister and deeply funky ... Above all this is a BIG band.» (Thisisbellowhead)

«If Tom Waits ever decided to make an album of traditional English folk, it might sound a little like Bellowhead, the folk big band. The aptly titled disc has a real circus quality to the sound. […] It's a record that's to be praised for the chances it takes […] even though they don't all succeed. But even the failures, like the clumsy "Flash Company" are never less than interesting. Kudos to the producers, who bring clarity to a dense sound. This is a summation of the formation of this sound; where they take it will be the fascinating part.» (AMG)

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