The irony of the title lies within the band celebrating a 21st
anniversary with only their third release but this belies the standing the guys
behind Foghorn Leghorn have in the London roots music scene. After successfully
running the My Grass is Blue club night for a number of years including
perfecting the fruits of their talents with the cream of the south’s
alt-country establishment, the band have unleashed a bunch of raw yet honest
songs on the wider listening public and NOT BEFORE TIME will alert more people to the passion and expertise bubbling under in
the capital.
While the sound is all banjo, fiddle, mandolin and Dobro, there’s
hardly a mountain stream or hollow in sight, just the life and soul of the streets
of London. Either side of the only non-original track, the Bill Evan’s composed
instrumental ‘Petersberg Gal’ which
marks the record’s centre point, lies the democratic writing of band members Eamonn Flynn, Andy Dore, Kevin O’Neil, Paul Fay, Tim Kent and Chris Clarke, who also
holds down producing duties. Flynn is the key architect for several key songs
amongst the original eleven including the impressive opening two numbers ‘Pizza Boy’ and ‘Tube Trains’, as well as probably the track pivotal to the record’s
second half ‘Madelaine’.
With the album racing along at a frenetic pace in true
bluegrass style, the slower numbers do have an increased effect especially the
classy closer ‘Brother Oh Brother’,
the heart warming ‘Either or’ and a
possible candidate for stand out track ‘Runner
Up’ which definitely has country credentials. Regardless of the songs's pace, all pay utmost respect to the authenticity of a sound bestowed with
purity and integrity.
There must have been some special nights at The Betsey
Trotwood during the conception of this welcome addition to the UK Americana
scene and maybe, with the focal point of NOT BEFORE TIME, opportunities may
arise to roll out the sound around the country, in perhaps a revue format.
There is a sure need for some of the more urban areas of Britain to re-connect
with the true values of music and this album by Foghorn Leghorn will play its
part.
www.reverbnation.com/foghornleghornuk
