The Wilderness Yet, a new folk trio but with some familiar names, present an colourful array of original and traditional folk songs and tunes.

Release Date: 24th July 2020

Label: Scribe Records RPCD004

Format: CD / DL

A new band yes, but Rosie Hodgson? Ah yes, the Aurora Rising album that also featured Rowan Pigott. He’s here too. As is Philippe Barnes; not heard of him although I used to play footy once with someone called Phil Barnes…I digress. The familiar name of Evan Carson is there too on bodhran. The go-to man for anyone in any genre who wants percussion with a fizz or advice on how to a craft a hugely impressive beard.

A trio who’ve packed plenty of experiences into their years, their debut ticks all the boxes marked rustic, organic and natural, paying tribute to the environment that seems so much part of the Wilderness Yet package.

Tunes there are several; unaccompanied vocal they do beautifully and is best showcased in the stately title track that closes the album. However, things work best when the three play and sing with a youthful and lively passion.

The evidence is in two songs – The Thrush’s Anvil and A Bruton Farmer. The latter a murder ballad framed in a gorgeously sprightly tune that apparently the band learned and couldn’t stop singing. I know how it feels, I can’t stop playing it. Love to hear Nancy Kerr have a go at this, it perfectly matches her flowing fiddle style. In contrast, The Thrush’s Anvil is a Piggott original and you can’t spot the difference. Both are impossibly addictive pieces to jig along to. Confirmation of Mike Harding’s acknowledgment that these three have a deep understanding of the tradition.

In fact, a vision emerges with The Wilderness Yet as the Sherwood Forest/Robin Hood house band (with Alan a-Dale as the touring member) in the greenwood armed with fiddle, double bass, guitar and whistles.

A thought not without a mention in dispatches too to artist Adam Oehlers, whose woodland graphics are packed with the sort of intricate detail to match the contents – “the business and abundance of life” celebrated in album opener The Beauties Of Autumn.

A fine example of how musicians known for their work in the folk genre come together.

Listen to the title track performed in the woods here:

The Wilderness Yet online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Youtube

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