Naomi Bedford & Paul Simmonds: Unusual Information Has Come to City

album overview

Naomi Bedford & Paul Simmonds

Unusual Information Has Come to City 

Dusty Willow Recordings

Digital / CD 

Preorder 1 Might 2024
Launch 28 June 2024

New album from Naomi Bedford & Paul Simmonds and ‘a British Folks Triumph’ and attainable album of the 12 months in it’s style and past.  Richard David pens the primary overview anyplace forward of its launch.

The fourth artistic collaboration between British Folks singer Naomi Bedford and Paul Simmonds is entitled ”Unusual Information Has Come To City”, an apt moniker in an period once we are all always bombarded with evermore baffling and disturbing information experiences. In a world dominated by warfare, violence, political oppression – and an growing degree of de-humanisation through the energies of expertise – the significance of roots music of the sort on show right here, can’t be overestimated. It is a definitively human album, embodying beautiful musicianship, finely crafted song-writing and a deep underlying sense of
artistic goal.

Along with his work over many many years in THE MEN THEY COULDN’T HANG, Simmonds undoubtedly stands as considered one of Britain’s most interesting dwelling songwriters. His huge canon delves right into a kaleidoscope of historic and socio-political references, a poetic penchant he as soon as once more brings into play right here with nice impact. A effective backing band ensures that the songs roll into one another with a way of misleading ease, one generally concealing their musical depth and wealthy tapestry of composition.

There are extremely refined manufacturing values obvious right here which mix to create an interesting, generally sombre however finally pleasant listening expertise. On a private degree – and even when addressing troublesome material – I consider that a very powerful music ought to carry our spirits. This album most definitely lifted mine.

Adjoined to the power of songwriting and musical aplomb, the ‘jewel within the crown’ is Bedford’s voice, a vessel which drifts most enticingly between the boundaries of Folks and Nation. Ably complimented by longtime fellow songbird Donna Edmead and Xan Tyler, Bedford combines fantastic essences of each resilience and fragility, these framed in extremely achieved phrasing and supply. If she’d been born in Nashville, I consider this lady would have been a significant nation star, however that’s America’s loss. In these isles, Bedford possesses considered one of our biggest feminine voices and it’s deployed marvellously on this album.

On the opening observe ”Optimist”, which can even be the primary single, issues start with a flourish of strings and mandolins, earlier than the pair mix on a harmonised ode to positivity in darkish occasions. Simmonds deep timbre sits comfortably beneath Bedford’s overtones, with some splendid fiddle work offering a vivacious backdrop. It’s an upbeat opening with an essential message for us all proper now. ”Even in a time like this, I discover a purpose to withstand.” Exactly.

Video – Filmed on location in Rajasthan, India. Shot and edited by Luca Bramley.

”Happiness is A Manner of Travelling” finds Bedford in virtually ethereal nation mode on a narrative of self-examination, marked out by a hanging hook line ”Love, your personal true energy turns into a revolution inside your head”. The dynamics are very good, with flowing counter melodies and harmonies by no means overwhelming the fragile spirit of what’s a fantastic track, setting the tone for the remainder of the ”Unusual Information” journey.

In a effectively judged change of really feel, ”Haunted River” opens in fairly stark vogue with Bedford’s voice set towards sparse, contemplative mandolin selecting. There are some beautiful chord adjustments with Tyler offering delicate, moody backing harmonies together with ghostly fiddle passages from someplace within the metaphorical fog. A track oozing brooding atmospherics and encapsulating the artistic chemistry between the duo.

”I Love You Too” – co penned by Justin Currie – takes us firmly again into Nashville territory. Towards a swirling canvas of nation guitar and mild piano tinkling, Bedford drops a beautiful lead vocal, once more augmented with understated harmonies, these including notably to the track’s texture. It’s a observe finally outlined by its elegant melody and the seductive authenticity of Bedford’s voice. Merely scrumptious stuff with really memorable chord sequences.

”Lewiston Manufacturing unit Women” is a jaunty, mid-tempo jig imploring the feminine staff of the well-known Maine manufacturing facility to affix Bedford as she heads again residence to Canada, the place she guarantees to feed them respectable home-cooked meals. This versus the ”half cooked baked beans which I swear are killing me useless.” It’s a lament chronicling the perpetual labour exploitation of the working lessons over three industrialised centuries, one thing which in fact – with the appearance of elements comparable to ‘zero-contract’ hours – continues to exist graphically till this very day.

The general commonplace of songs is so excessive right here, it’s arduous to select a standout observe, but when pushed, for me it could be the following track ”Asylum”, a mournful, darkish meditation on one of many nice problems with our occasions, the plight of refugees making an attempt to flee the usually life threatening bondage of their homelands.

It’s a profound, potent instance of the powers of Simmonds as a songsmith, laced with evocative lyricism, bittersweet melody and irony as in Bedford’s wistful reflection that ”The Crimson Cross ain’t what it was.” Musically, once more, distant nation flavoured guitar supplies an appropriately sobering atmosphere, with some very good fiddle passages additionally making their presence felt. Most likely the perfect track I’ve heard on this topic for an excellent variety of years and one which – if I had my means – can be injected into instructing curriculums for schoolchildren.

Subsequent up, a complete change of temper as we encounter Simmonds taking lead on ”I’ve Received A Fever”, full with spoken phrase samples and delectable backing from Bedford and Tyler. It’s a powerful, Dylanesque groove with actually spectacular musical drop-outs, meandering ‘Need’-style fiddle and a so-clever ”Fever!” vocal hook which summons up echoes of a steam practice, blasting its horn throughout forlorn hinterlands. On an album merely abounding with lyrical nuggets, it accommodates my favorite single line ”let’s play chess, you be the East and I’ll be the West.” Seemingly easy Simmonds wordplay that conjures up all types of ‘Chilly Struggle’ imagery from our youth.

On ”Darkish Rolling Street”, Bedford’s off on her travels once more, stopping to select up a silent, hitch-hiking stranger on their approach to ”the river of daybreak”. It’s a faultless instance of lonesome Americana, one made all of the extra exceptional through the 1000’s of miles which separate Bedford and Simmonds from the Hudson shoreline. In my opinion, there’s not one other British act which might try musical workouts like this, with such validity.

Vocally, ”A Blacksmith Courted Me” resides in additional conventional British Folks waters, with Bedford transposing the artistic boundaries effortlessly. The album’s title manifests throughout the opening strains and the refrain hook, towards a primarily strummed acoustic backing, with delicate functions of the aforementioned nation guitar flavours.

Simmonds steps up once more on ”Reverse Days”, one other rhythmic exercise, this time utilising wah-wah Funk guitar towards a tub-box model beat driving a bluesy melody. Musically, it’s probably the most progressive observe on the album, with sampled wailing sirens and sitar-like guitar selecting including to the combination. Its inclusion provides appreciable breadth to the duo’s already broad musical horizons, however Simmonds has by no means been afraid to discover new floor. With every pay attention, extra parts change into obvious, not least some very tasteful and sparingly rationed Ry Cooder-style guitar licks and gently soulful backing vocals. The canvas right here is so broad, I might virtually think about a rap or Coltrane-like sax wail manifesting throughout an instrumental break. Swamp Funk meets Zimmerman on the crossroads of British Orwellian desolation. Ace observe.

The album closes with Bedford enthusing concerning the sense of escape to be discovered inside nature, this apparently following the ugly restrictions of Covid. ”The Lapwing’s Name” options melodic minor chords, trademark mild harmonies and a few actually efficient instrumental timing parts. Sustaining the excessive bar quality-wise, it’s a radiant closure to a shocking set of songs constituting a veritable labyrinth of musical dexterity and exploration.

”Unusual Information Has Come To City” is a long-awaited album, which took a number of years to finish, with Bedford and Simmonds – like many people – dogged by the affect of the pandemic, private well being points and accompanying monetary difficulties.

The wait was effectively price it and Naomi and Paul have delivered bigtime. It’s a superb album which completely showcases their particular person and mixed skills, while marking out a creatively authoritative line within the sand, to all different would-be British Folks feminine/male duos. In relation to this style, Bedford and Simmonds are the undisputable British ‘Guvernors’, one thing that ”Unusual Information Has Come To City” underlines most powerfully.

The album might be out there from Bandcamp sooner or later

Full Credit

DUSTY WILLOW RECORDINGS  Distributed by PROPER DISTRIBUTION

PRODUCED BY – Ben Walker, Jake Rousham, Paul Simmonds, Naomi Bedford and Noah Bramley

Lead Vocals – Naomi Bedford and Paul Simmonds
Backing Vocals – Donna Edmead and Xan Tyler
Guitar and Mandolin – Paul Simmonds
Shruti Field and Appalachian Dulcimer – Naomi Bedford
Harmonies and 12 String guitar – Richard Leo
Bass – Phil Jones
Banjo and Harmonica – Scott Smith
Mandolin and Guitar – Ben Walker
Drums – Adam Ronchetti and Billy Abbott

All phrases by Richard David