The latest release from Bella Union Folk maestro FIONN REGAN is a double-header of tracks from last August’s excellent debut album ‘The End Of History’. Hand-in-hand on this ltd edition vinyl release, together they go to make a hugely impressive mini-showcse of one of the hottest new songwriting talents to be found, not just in folk circles, but way beyond.
‘Be Good Or Be Gone’ is a heart-wrenchingly melancholic tale of love set in a seaside town. The narrative affords you an all-encompassing vantage-point as Regan’s omnipotent storytelling skills uniquely paint mind’s eye views that place the listener high above the coast looking down. With a timescale that spans generations and digs emotional depths with poignant effortlessness. It’s almost like a mini-screenplay where children play at shops and gentle harmonies evoke distant memories of never-forgotten tangled feelings.
The insistent licks of ‘Hunter’s Map’ reveal a fast-frame cinefilm of the shifting sky and animal imagery as the brushes shuffle out the beat of this increasingly complex progression. Regan adds extra percussion by knocking on his guitar with the flat of his hand, creating a trancelike and absorbing space in which memories flow and the imagination is afforded full scope to run riot. This folk-driven dexterity is blended with the psychoactive for a final sound with appeal that stretches far and wide beyond traditional roots, making for a mind-blowing release that is a surefire hit to the ears of any music lover with a penchant for quality songwriting.
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This is quite simply stunning listening. If folk is a genre you are put off by, then prepare to be converted!
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