Bonfire Radicals have cut their cloth as a vibrant live band on the local gig and festival circuit. Their take on folk music leans heavily almost entirely towards the instrumental spectrum and this is reflected in the latest release. THE SPACE BETWEEN is the second album from this Birmingham-based band and fully formed to transmit a taste of the live performances from stage to home. While this is a studio effort you still get the feel of absorbing it in a shared space and feeding off some element of group motion.
Nine tracks form this album with a defined split of eight instrumentals and a solitary song. The latter is the Birmingham murder ballad 'Mary Ashford', a tune written by Midlands-bred musician Jon Wilkes with traditional lyrics enhanced by a final verse accredited to the band. The theme is a famous nineteenth century legal case with ramifications still felt today. The final verse brings things two hundred years up to date with a fiery response.
Of the eight tunes, three have traditional originals, three are composed by Bonfire Radicals as an entity and a couple accredited to other players. A lively piece titled 'Brenda Stubbert's Reel' kicks off things with fiddle and guitar blending well to add some extra vitality to a tune borrowed from Canadian old time fiddler Jerry Holland. It immediately leaps into the recorder fuelled tones of 'The Bonfire', a tune by Matt Heery, assumed to be the Birmingham musician revealed in searches. Traditional tunes feature after the opening duo with a very European flavour garnishing 'Cafe De Flore', awash with flutes and recorders upfront steadied by a sturdy guitar back beat. Another toe tapping effort to get the limbs moving as well.
A additional trio of Bonfire Radicals composed tunes are 'Satsuma Moon', 'The Man From Suburbia' and 'Coffee Countdown (Piped and Unplugged'. The first of these steadily imposes itself with a a full complement of sounds pouring out, while the second conjures up some eastern mystique. The final one draws inspiration from Bulgaria and is reworked for pipe organ.
There are obvious continental connotations to the final two traditional tunes. 'She, She, Di Shviger Kunt' melds fiddle and pipes from the off, while 'Freilacher Nashele' ecstatically ramps up the tempo showing what Bonfire Radicals do best.
Thirty minutes of rip roaring fun greets the listener, give or take the odd moment of thoughtful reflection. Bonfire Radicals express their full pedigree and repertoire on THE SPACE BETWEEN to summon up plenty of playful fervour, while exploring the spirited world of folk tradition.