IAN A ANDERSON - Deathfolk Blues Revisited
Ghosts From The Basement GFTB7052
Talk about reversing into tomorrow, here the esteemed magazine editor, broadcaster, band manager, all-round animateur and, lest we forget, truly dextrous picker acknowledges his back story with an over-shoulder peek at where he first came in. That entrance was as a solo acoustic singer/guitarist in the UK country blues genre also populated by such contemporaries as Jo-Ann Kelly, Mike Cooper and Jim & Raphael (who were the local practitioners I initially attended my neighbourhood folk club to see).
Though involved in duos, trios and bands in the 70s/80s, Ian’s basic 1967 debut was much like this backtrack which eschews hi-tec – being just him and guitar recorded at home this time using a single USB microphone and with a return to active playing after donkeys’ years, he needed new, ahem ‘product’.
Some 15 tracks were laid down, minimised to eight as a taster for gigging, and they draw from a palette of blues-slanted pieces, though his musical home turf has always had folk squatters so that desolate murder ballad Pretty Polly and a rarely-found and amazingly factual Wreck Of The Northfleet are here – the latter obviously a favourite of Anderson’s as it was in his English Country Blues Band’s repertory.
Ian gets back to where he once belonged on this mini album and it’s an immensely enjoyable revisit that has real impact - an honest recording of some depth. Notice I haven’t used the phrase “psych folk” once! (doh!)
www.ghostsfromthebasement.bandcamp.com
Clive Pownceby
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