Reviews
Artist:Isambarde
Album:Barnstorming
Label:Whirly Whorl
Tracks: 10
Rating: ****
Contact: http://www.myspace.com/isambarde
Folk music seems to have stepped back into the wider consciousness in the last year of so. Two Mercury nominations, two number 1 singles in the mainstrean chart,
all from different acts. Folk is stepping out of the shadows and is doing so with a new group of bands, singers and songwriters. Isambarde are just such a band.
The band have been grafting hard on the live circuit, 2006 sees that racking up quite a lot of miles on the car and bookings are already filling up for 2007. Listening
to the band's "Barnstorming" album, it's not difficult to see why. The apprenticeship has served well, the band has come through the lower leagues and have become genuine challengers
for folk's premiership.
A power trio, consisting Chris Green, Jude Rees and Emily Sanders, Isambarde hail from the Coventry area, but are now reaching quite a distance in their impact. This seems to be down
to a wicked combination of playing ability and song selection. The song selection is a very interesting part of the equation.
Whilst the band by and large perform traditional songs, they've picked a lot that strike a chord with the 21st centuary. As we kick back against big government and unwanted wars, Isambarde
remind us of those personal freedoms that were hard fought for by the unions, the right of personal freedoms. Regrets at the occasional impacts of illicate sex and the personal implications to
families caught up in unjust wars.
English folk music is being performed with a passion again. The songs team with enthusiasm in a group setting in a way they can't when performed by a solo artist. The band setting is where a lot
of these songs need to be. As solo pieces they could all to easily fall into dirge. In the hands of Isambarde, the songs positively burst into life. They can make a song that draws on events of
1618 sound like it was about 20 past 4 yesterday.
Folk is setting the 21st century on fire and Isambarde are a band to fan the flames.