Reviews

Artist: Seth Lakeman
Album: Freedom Fields
Label:Iscream Records
Tracks: 12
Rating: *****
Contact:   www.sethlakeman.co.uk

Featuring a band that includes brother Sean, Ben Nicholls and Benji Kirkpatrick. Has guest appearance by Cara Dillon, Kathryn Roberts and Steve Knightly and coming off the publicity generated by it's Mercury short listed predecessor, Seth Lakeman must have thought all the elements were as sure as they could be for a sure fire album of quality.... and he was right.
Freedom Fields works on so many levels. The album has so much going for it. It's combination of traditional and contemporary folk sounds. The balance of self penned tunes with those taken from folks rich past. There's even enough space for a Pagan theme or two(check out White Hare).
One of the things this album shows, so tragically, is how folk music remains relevent. In a cluster of traditional songs in the middle of the album is one, "The Colliers". A song about the death of miners in a poorly maintained working with the owners trying to save money. looking back over the last year it's a song that could have been written for the many that have lost their lives down pits for the same reasons
The album sticks close to Seth's Devon stomping ground for some of it's themes, whilst others take on a wider theme. Whilst Seth has chosen his traditional songs well, it's the way e handles his own songs that show just what a good songwriter Seth is developing into.
Folk has long been able to capture themes and use them in a way that other genres are drawn into disrepute for, sex and politics being the usual. Whilst the roots of the album are from earlier times, songs like "The Rifleman Of War" and "Take No Rogues" and even the title track "Freedom Fields" could easily pick up attributes of Gulf War 2.
One of the other things that gives Seth Lakeman's album's strength is his voice. It's naturally part rock, part folk. It gives the songs energy and in a strangeway gives them context. English Folk music has a safe pair of hands for it's next growth spurt.
Seth supports the album with a tour alongside Billy Bragg, something that should be something well worth catching. If you are not lucky enough to be near a venue for that treat yourself to the album and indulge that taste for quality.