The game’s all about connections. ‘Rising For The Bold,’ is connected in so many ways, the game is won. The album succeeds at everything it and it’s creators wanted to achieve. The perfect result.
Let’s break this down to specifics. Firstly they’re the very definition of a People’s Band, if any have a stronger commitment to their audience, I’ve yet to find it. The group cultivate a relationship that goes beyond two way traffic, involving fandom at every level, here a thousand plus voices swell their own on ‘Louder Than War,’ in answer to a request to record and forward choral contributions, the photos of many adorn the accompanying booklet.
As writers they pen songs about what people experience, feel, care about and want to get to grips with. Yes, the problems and complexities of everyday life. Their music flings wide the doors and says “come along for the ride, we understand your anger, your frustrations, your wins, your losses, your emotions. Things look better together than apart.” And if that sounds political to you, you’ve totally missed the point, Merry Hell are about inclusion not exclusion. They celebrate what’s worthy and shine a spotlight on what’s not offering considered solutions in melody. This album’s an invitation.
And what melody! The recording is high on tumbling tunes, catchy leads, layered harmonies, superb arrangements, wide screen settings, anthemic atmosphere all those things that have made Merry Hell addictive and attractive. These tracks stick in your brain and won’t leave, you’ll be singing and humming for weeks to come.
All those are perhaps what you’d expect of Merry Hell, but there are elements to ‘Rising Of The Bold,’ which makes it different from what has gone before. The album has main genesis in the fact that the band took themselves off to isolated rurality, where an easy democracy seemed to settle as the group took what their five writers had created and formed the basis of the recording, making this the most shared repertoire they’d yet come up with. Additionally the production is sharp, clear, clean, even ringing. There is a directness to some tracks, it’s a powered production which at times lands right between the eyes. Steel is hidden well within and shows when needed, determination has driven matters.
The wider creative freedom that’s arisen has meant others can shine, step forward Lee Goulding whose keyboard work through out is bouyant and flexible providing a counter for the vocals and melody instruments to weave across and around, tip of the hat in his co writes as well. Steering everything is the rhythm section of Andy Jones (drums) and Colin Foster (bass) both exemplary players they securely anchor each track. The one person who’s taken the baton and run with it hard is bow man Simon Swarbrick – where have you heard that name before? With his fiddle set to sonic attack on numbers like Bob Kettle’s crunching, socially conscious ‘Vagabond Army,’ his playing is enthralling and downright savage, wheeling and echoing solos across, above and around. His own – literally as he plays almost all the instruments – ‘Lizard on a Log,’ is a collection of vociferous reels, yet his playing isn’t all blood and thunder, he decorates with trills and frills on ‘Join Hands.’ In fact his contribution gives the whole album a refreshingly different slant.
‘Singing In The Morning,’ is plain stunning, it’s the last song on the album and at present I can’t decide if it’s the most satisfying finale number I’ve ever heard or a guaranteed Christmas blockbuster single in hiding, either way Virginia Kettle’s vocals are fantastic, as are those of fellow singer Andrew Kettle on the hope filled title track, the pair feed off each other in an almost telepathic fashion. It’s no wonder guitarist John Kettle always seems to have a smile on his face whenever we meet these days. He’s so chuffed with proceedings he’s got his electric guitar out again – thumbs up from this scribe for that alone. Merry Hell are truly fulfilling hopes and expectations in some style.
Musical dynamite, everything’s connected…..blow your brains with confidence.
Simon Jones.
www.merryhell.co.uk
