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Review: 'McGRAW, DAVE & MANDY FER'
'Maritime'   

-  Label: 'Self Released'
-  Genre: 'Folk' -  Release Date: '29th September 2014'-  Catalogue No: 'N4832W'

Our Rating:
Of McGraw and Fer's debut album, Seed Of A Pine, I wrote that it would have been nice to hear the duo sing more harmonies rather than constantly alternating lead vocals.

This hope is only partially realised on a Kickstarter-funded sophomore release which continues to demonstrate that the duo are at their best when they sing together rather than apart.

Once again they deploy the same democratic division of labour;, six of the 12 tracks are by McGraw, three by Fer and the remaining three are co-writes.

As on their debut, nature is a constant reference point; not surprising when you learn that Dave McGraw used to be a wildlife biologist. You hear this most plainly on McGraw's : Morning Song and Rain On The Rosemary. In the latter he sings of how "the bravest of warriors can be brought down by a rose".

Nautical metaphors also abound since the album is billed as an "island record". A desire to capture the spirit of (mari)time and place is explained in the sleeve notes : "This album recorded in a beautiful home in a quiet forest on a patient island in northwest Washington over the course of 8 days in the spring of 2014".

Musician friends gathered in this idyllic setting and a relatively tight recording schedule was established in order to capture a live sound as far as possible. Thanks to a crisp production job by Zach Goheen, this is largely achieved.

A mellow optimistic mood of quiet reflection prevails but the couple are not oblivious to contemplations of mortality.

Things get particularly interesting when they wander from serene paths as they do to great effect on the standout track Dark Dark Woods. On this song, raw drum beats and twangy guitar slowly build to create a mood of tension and drama culminating with the entreaty to "open your hands to your enemy, forgiveness your sword". It made me sorry that Fer's intuitive electric guitar playing wasn't given greater prominence.

How The Sea and Tide Moon Ship Horn draw most obviously on the coastal location but a track like Compass shows that they are not content to be tied to one place. This song takes us imaginary journeys to California, Chicago and London as it finds Fer "walking a poet's path at sunrise".

While none of these tracks quite reach the heights of Dark Dark Woods, the tunes are consistently strong and full of warmth and wisdom.

Dave McGraw & Mandy Fer's website
  author: Martin Raybould

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McGRAW, DAVE & MANDY FER - Maritime