Reviews

Artist: Suntrap
Album: Sweet Fast river
Label: Own
Tracks: 12
Rating: ****
Contact: www.suntrap.org

Since the band's Long Winter Coat album, I've managed to miss an entire album, "Red Red Shoes" and the addition of a new member, Mary Wilson. It's allowed the sound to fill out and allowed the band to take a few more risks with the sound.
Whilst the sound has filled out, there have also been some constants. Both Paul(Hoad) and Sarah(Byers) have continued to pen great songs and fantastic tunes. Paul still has a big voice, but you seem to hear it less, as it blends better into the mix. It still comands respect, but somehow seems more aware of it's surroundings.
The sound has matured like a classic stilton. There's plenty of taste, though not enough to claw, and  a slight melancholy blue vein that permeates through a number of the songs and hides behind the crumbly texture of the body so that every bite brings with it a sense of anticipation.
Suntrap are at their most flavoursome when recording their own songs, or applying their own style to songs pulled from folk's deep tradition. It's the album's contemporary cover, "The Man With The Child In His eyes" that I feel is the weakest track on the album.
The double fiddle/viola combination of both Mary and Nicola(Hillary) have allowed the band to add tangents to the tunes that you can't go off on as a three piece and maybe it's this trhat has given the freedom to record an album with more twists and turns in both song and tune.
Wether you are rediscovering Suntrap, hearing about them for the first time or have followed them along the much travelled road, Sweet Fast River is a record that is definitely worth checking out. Just one thing though. Why name the album after the second song?
In the meantime if you have a problem finding the album in the shops. Give the band's website a visit.