MERRY HELL
Rising Of The Bold
There can be little in the world of contemporary folk-rock music that compares with the multiple frissons of excitement that accompany the anticipation of a new release from Merry Hell. Little, that is, apart from the teasers that they are wont to share via the inclusion of new, unreleased, songs being dropped into live sets, or the issuing of a single, on New Year’s Day, some five months before the album’s release, or indeed the first, and subsequent, playing of said new album.
So, with their previous three albums having attained the heady heights of the upper reaches of the Official Folk Charts, indeed their most recent release, Let The Music Speak For Itself also entered the Top 50 of the mainstream Download Chart, what are the likely prospects for Rising Of The Bold, their latest album, due for release on May 9th? After four straight listens, I would proffer the view that one doesn’t have to be a descendant of Nostradamus to predict unbridled success for the release itself, and a further positive rise, (weak pun intended), in momentum, in terms of the band’s prestige and reputation.
Rising Of The Bold takes its place as one of the most interesting and enjoyable releases in the annals of folk-rock music.
Mindful of the fact that the Folk North West attracts new readers, here’s the briefest of background information on the band. Sparked from the embers of The Tansads, a sorely-missed folk-punk outfit, the multi-award-winning Merry Hell have a history of seven highly acclaimed releases, hundreds of ecstatically received live shows, and a fearsome reputation for blistering festival performances. Studiously avoiding preaching or proselytising, they offer joyful, uplifting, folk-rock which is frequently imbued with lyrics which reflect their deeply-help belief in sharing positivity, and togetherness.
The current, eight-member, line-up sees five of its number from Wigan and the rest from Chester, Dorset and Ruthin. They are, Virginia Kettle, vocals & guitar, Andrew Kettle, vocals, Bob Kettle, bouzouki, John Kettle, guitars & backing vocals, Colin Foster, bass, Lee Goulding, keyboards, Simon Swarbrick, fiddle and strings, Andy Jones, drums.
The album under review had its naissance at a long weekend in a Shropshire country house, where the eight group members convened, giving the five song writers within the band ample opportunity to share their latest offerings. For those new to Merry Hell, yes, there are indeed five song writers contributing high-class compositions to their collective output. Strength in depth indeed.
Over this time, the originals were worked into a band format, assisted and inspired by “open fires and free-flowing ideas; fine food, foaming ales, Welsh whiskey and good company.”
The resulting 12 tracks unequivocally exceed any preconceived expectations.
Whilst there is ample evidence of what has become a “trademark” Merry Hell sound, I also detect a spirit of adventure, with several pieces breaking the traditional Merry Hell mould, as new musical furrows are ploughed with a sense of pioneering exploration.
Thus, there are at least four or five tracks in particular that readily fit within the anthemic-sounding format that has been so successful for them hitherto, songs which surely will take their place as classics within the Merry Hell canon of work.
This propensity for creating catchy songs that work so well in a live situation, generating full audience participation and fervour, is apparent from the very first song on the release, as Virginia suggests the ideal cure for feeling down, ‘Pick Yourself Up And Dance’. Bob’s ‘Vagabond Army’ immediately follows, and again this is surely destined to become a staple of the live set. Lyrically, the song takes a Janus-like view, both looking back in history to the 1500s to when fences were erected and the poor forced off the land, with the newly-endowed landlords fearfully imagining that the ‘vagabonds’ were plotting to reclaim it, whilst also having an eye to the present, as the listener is encouraged to ponder
“If we were united
In hand and in heart
We could shake down the fences
That keep us apart”
Musically, the song is superbly structured, opening with Simon’s fiddle before Andrew’s powerful vocals and John’s guitar give way to further swirling, ethereal fiddle, Virginia’s vocals, Bob’s bouzouki and a final, dramatic and frenetic finish. Stunning music indeed.
Title track, ‘The Rising Of the Bold’, with its a cappella opening two lines, which are repeated with gusto later as refrains, is another anthemic offering, this time with words from John and music from himself and Virgina. With its catchy melody, fine guitar solo and tasteful keyboards from Lee, in typical MH fashion the listener is encouraged to “stick to their creative guns; rise above obstacles and adversity”.
To my ears, two further songs also fall within what I have termed an “anthemic” category. The first of these is Virginia’s epic ‘Peace Can Be Louder Than War’. Repeating a venture successfully employed previously, by sending an initial invitation, via social media, to like-minded choirs, individuals, families and groups to send in sound files of their singing in support of the message contained in the title, the group hoped to garner the support of “A Thousand Voice Choir”. The response was such that when John finally mixed the recordings in his studio they made up over twice that number, with contributions from four continents and twenty-six countries. With Andrew providing lead vocals until the final three verses, and George Martin-like reverse taping and other effects, the rousing chorus
“Louder than war, louder than war!
We’ll sing in our thousands
And prove to the world:
Peace can be louder than war”
answers conflict with harmony and the message resonates long after the song has ended. No wonder the song reached the dizzy heights of the American Folk Radio Airplay Charts Top 30!
The penultimate song on the CD, another one written by John and Virginia, ‘Not Everything Is Wrong’, also falls within the anthemic category. Very much up-tempo, the uplifting message that life isn’t all bad has a chorus offering every possible opportunity for audience participation with its
“So sing with me and dance with me
(O, oh, oh, oh, oh, O, oh, oh, oh, oh)
And tell me not everything is wrong”
Let it not be said, however, that Merry Hell are a one-trick pony. ‘Changing Just The Same’, again featuring John’s top-drawer guitar playing, is the most melodic of tracks. The vocal interplay between Andrew and Virginia is one of the many key strengths of MH music, a strength also apparent ‘Only Love’. Beginning with a jazz-infused feel, think Stephane Grapelli, with Internet-age references, this glorious song, co-written by Lee and Bob, will also be released as a single.
‘Changing Times’, described as “a song for an Age Of Instability”, with words and music by Viginia, is one of the tracks where the group are pushing new musical boundaries. With sublime electric guitar, soaring fiddle and incredible production values, this is a very busy track with layers of sound, and subsequent listens guarantee the reward of something new. A word here, too, for Colin, whose bass playing throughout the album is precise, effective and plays an important role in the band’s overall sound.
Simon’s instrumental composition, ‘Lizard On A Log’ is the result of his being left alone for several hours with only his fiddle and the titular reptile. The dexterity and verve of his playing is given superb support from Andy, whose full drum sound fairly fizzes along. Simon’s fiddle playing comes from a different tradition to that of his predecessor, the very talented Neil McCartney, (who provides the art-work for the album from his Salty Dog Farm in Thailand), and thus adds a new, different, dimension to the band.
Nerd alert - the tune has the distinction of not only having appeared in the MH live set, but is also in that of The Feast Of Fiddles, with whom Simon also plays.
The Madrigal-string type opening of Bob’s ‘Join Hands’, develops into a fuller sound, with a fiddle break from Simon that I can envisage will give ample chance for Andrew and Virginia to enjoy a further opportunity to dance, albeit less rumbustiously than during ‘Baker’s Daughter’.
Light and shade are prevalent throughout the album but should further evidence be needed then look no further than Virginia’s ‘Don’t Say I, Say Us’. Initially, very much pared back, with only John’s acoustic guitar and her vocals, understated fiddle and soft drums join the mix in a song which not only espouses the view that “No one is an island so work (and sing!) together” but also manages to include the word “anchorite” in the lyrics, and is another contender for inclusion in the anthemic grouping.
The album concludes with John’s glorious paean to community unity, ‘Singing In The Morning’, featuring Virginia’s lead vocals. With an earworm of a refrain, this has got to be the best Christmas-sounding song ever released in May, especially the manipulated voices at the end, and a fine way in which to end a highly memorable album.
Merry Hell continue to exude energy, passion and love for what they do, offering voices of hope and beacons of light all who value melody and a vision of positive humanity, even in the darkest of times. The adventurous new directions sometimes in evidence on this release are to be welcomed, but long-term fans of the band need not fear, no babies were harmed, as the bathwater has not been thrown out.
There are many fine and talented young pretenders around, but with Rising Of The Bold Merry Hell confirm that they are members of folk-rock royalty, and can legitimately lay claim, collectively, to the contemporary folk-rock crown.
Post script
From a personal viewpoint, even if the album had been called The Rising Of The Bald it would have still have resonated as strongly for me.
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