Karl Culley’s geographical route is certainly an unusual one. Born in Harrogate, he’s now based in Poland, and his debut album, ‘Stripling’ combines elements of prog rock and folk that transcend both time and place.
‘They glitter in the light, but they’re semi-precious... to you these stones I entrust’ he sings sagely and lugubriously in a haunting tone on the title track, the sparse acoustic backing demonstrating both Culley’s magnificent finger picking and rich, evocative vocals. These are the defining elements of the album: in fact they’re more or less the sole elements of the album.
‘Come Over to Me’ sounds like a fractious folk approximation of ‘House of the Rising Sun’, and Culley combines elements of ancient folk and early Leonard Cohen crossed with the plaintive sound of Chris Isaac to forge a sound that’s compelling in its simplicity and understated emotional intensity. With nods to the likes of The Incredible String Band and Bert Jansch, ‘Stripling’ is equally spiritual and earthy.
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It all adds up to a collection of songs that have real depth and resonate in ways so few contemporary albums do, and reveals Culley’s ability to create music that’s contemplative and articulate and goes deeper with each listen.
Karl Culley Online
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