BLUENOSE B
Minstrel Of The Wasteland
Previously described in these pages as ‘as modern as Folk gets’, Liverpool singer songwriter Stephen Lawson (aka Bluenose B – his nom de plume since the Second Scouse invasion of the Eighties) has chosen to push the boundaries further – using AI technology to illustrate his vision of a dystopian post-apocalyptic future, as described in the title track of his latest hard edged, indie-folk offering, albeit one that has room for country and Americana tinges to add to the overall effect.
Minstrel Of The Wasteland offers a vision of a world where music is outlawed, and musicians are punished for spreading messages of love and hope. Join the journey of a brave minstrel in his search for a legendary songwriter who defied the authorities by playing a forbidden song. Wandering a world where words have been twisted and meanings have been changed, where the power of music can still bring hope and unity, will the minstrel succeed in finding the secret to breaking the oppressive regime? In a story of defiance and creativity, does the minstrel find the desolate bar in which the magic of ‘Hey Jude’ can still be heard and felt?
In a sumptuous accompanying package – the story is illustrated in a graphic novel style booklet using images generated by descriptions of his friends and fellow musical travellers (he is accompanied by his sister Rachel on a couple of songs, long time musical partner John Kettle providing guitar throughout, vocal contributions from Virginia Kettle and fiddle maestro Simon Swarbrick (yes he is if you were wondering), the latter three all taking time out from folk-rockers Merry Hell to add colour and texture to the 14 songs on offer. The images have then been combined into a video – his vision of the future may be grim, but the music bears repeated listens.
It bears repeating that Bluenose is not your average folkie and nowhere is this demonstrated more graphically that the final track, ‘Time Is Quicker Than Me’ in which his street fighting father rages against the dimming of his powers, whilst looking back on his achievements – not your customary subject matter. Neither is ‘Raise A Glass’, a celebration of what should have been a golfing weekend that turned into a drunken farewell to a recently departed friend. Still, the effects of alcohol are not an unknown inspiration within our genre, and traditional themes are explored as maidens are deceived and abandoned, love is sought, enjoyed and lost, older yet richer men are rejected by younger women in favour of love, summer love and with a nod to Bob Dylan and the devastating effects of a motorcycle crash. Hiding under the conceit of a bar room encounter, and illustrating the depth of some of the themes, the origins, presentation and misrepresentation of psychopathology and psychopathy are explored, in ‘The Trap’. Not your everyday theme and delivered with an uptempo feel as well. As a whole, Minstrel appears to blur the lines between imagination and autobiography, but the smart money is certainly on the latter playing a significant role. There is even time for a diversionary instrumental in the form of ‘Madre’ which is both delicate and evocative as the emphasis is placed firmly on the music rather than the words.
Call it folk, call it Americana, there are certainly touches of country and hints of Stephen’s Liverpool Indie past – nothing dominates, making for an interesting mix throughout, with both players, Lawson and Kettle, shown to be adept with keyboard and guitar respectively and the different voices adding emotional resonance when deployed.
Overall, a set of songs that manages to be curious, thought provoking and entertaining, variety in topics and delivery but hung together by a voice, in both lyrical and audio senses, and dynamic interplay with a cast of characters – both musical and lyrical!
