Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin had a huge debut with ‘Mynd’ so expectations are high for their follow up. If you have seen them live over the past year or so you will know their repertoire goes far beyond the songs on Mynd, festival appearances in particular have featured the virtuoso techniques that Phillip applies to guitar and harmonica front and centre. Watershed takes another fork in the road and has less pyrotechnics, but much more in the way of exploring the personal and unique soundscape that this duo has forged for themselves.
Songs swirl and eddy, they are given the time to have a life of their own. The musicianship is first rate and Martin’s voice is sublime, the sense that these musicians are extending themselves, pushing boundaries and discovering fresh musical landscapes is always to the fore.
Watershed at times is so immersive that it is more akin to standing on a beach with the sound of the waves washing across the sand and the wind blowing off the land. Henry and Martin have the ability to stimulate all of the senses of the listener. Their debut was rightly acclaimed and is a hard act to follow, Watershed is a worthy successor that gently tightens the weave in the bold tapestry of mood and sound that they have created. Dive in, you won’t regret it.
Iain Hazlewood
