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MERRY HELL - The Ghost In Our House And Other Stories...

MERRY HELL - The Ghost In Our House And Other Stories...
Mrs Casey Records MCRCD5102

In amidst all the doom and gloom (unless you live north of the border) it is good to hear a genuinely uplifting CD. Merry Hell has certainly managed to produce that with The Ghost In Our House. Running throughout is a sense of optimism and the feeling that it is possible to do something about your situation - well that’s how it comes over to me anyway!

Merry Hell has developed out of the Tansads, with five of its members having been in that band, but what seems to provide the defining sound is the fiddle of Neil McCartney and the interplay of Virginia and Andrew Kettle. Incidentally, there are two more Kettle brothers in there as well, the rest of the group being Nick Davies on bass, Lee Goulding on keyboards and finally Andy Jones belting it out on drums.

All the material is penned by the group, with four sharing songwriting duties and coming up with some catchy yet moving songs. The Old Soldier pays tribute to those fallen in futile wars, whilst I am sure there must be hidden meaning in the instantly singable The Baker’s Daughter from the pen of Virginia Kettle.

The title track deserves a good listen, but there again so does the rest of the album. In Pillar Of Society the message is quite clear that the power of love and music can set us free, a simple sentiment but so true.

It is a while since I have had such an uplifting feeling from a recent album, especially one with so much social comment. I have a feeling that Merry Hell are going to have many stories to tell over the coming months and years, and let’s hope the power of music continues to get the message across.

Can’t wait to see them live.

www.merryhell.co.uk

Dave Beeby

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This album was reviewed in Issue 108 of The Living Tradition magazine.