Riff Mountain Rec. 
The A-Lords –LP- (UK,2011)****
Two years ago, The A-Lords published a 4-track EP, which was recorded in a barn at night on the Dorset/Devonshire border. Now they completed this collection with some extra 6 tracks/songs, recorded during the day mostly, on summer days between 2000 and 2010. The environment of this barn, like the soft rain on the roof, the birds in the environment, a creaky door all became or are part of this atmosphere for some improvisations that keeps the silence of this space. The A-side is the brightest side, which included the daylight and the birds, slowly picking guitars, harp, piano and glockenspiel and accordion and some air instruments slowly move into it, adapt to it, be with it, the quietness of the country side becomes part of the musician, the human tuning into the quietness of the county side, his inner clock making it tick with it. On the fourth track a small folk dance melody appears on the dulcimer, hand bell (belldalabra) accents added. “A Wren or Raven” is a more clear song, accompanied by pickings and glockenspiel. It contains a magical atmosphere. It is a whispery song with, as second voice, this sweet melancholic glockenspiel and the soft sounds of rain in the background, which I did not know could have such an effect as of a velvet pillow.
The second side is darker, denser but not in a heavy sense : it is more clearly night recordings. “Skyclad in Pendle” is dominated by organ droning tones and a melody with soft background noise. There are accordion drones on “Hopkin’s Lament” this time some wind in the leaves takes care of that velvet cushion atmosphere, while the acoustic guitars are slowly picking. The last song, “Pyewacket’s Nest”, sung by female voice, is sleepier too, like an almost falling a sleep lullaby, while a fire is burning, of course with accordion as well. The A-Lords almost translated the Dorset countryside atmosphere into music, listening to them makes some of it reappear. What is strong about it too is that the atmosphere has enough melodic brightness of it revealed in it as well. Suitable for repeated listens; this works like a healing environment.
Expect a new album soon, a cooperation with Mark Fry.
