Reviews |
|||
A miscellany of press reviews of The Rowan Amber Mill - click name to see reviews |
|||
|
‘English Shire' kicks things off (apt timing for a dedication, giving the Post Office's recent announcement that English shire counties are henceforth to be abandoned), with Sharon's butterfly-strong vocals now hovering over and then punching through a gently plucked folk harmony, with sparkling guitars and elements of the “woodland orchestra” providing the backdrop. It's a style which the band revisit several times across the album, perhaps to greatest effect on ‘The River' which immediately reminded me once again of long-lost eighties outfit The Stormclouds. After that, ‘Face of Flowers' is one of my favourites on the album, with a lovely acoustic guitar coda from main-man Stephen which brings to mind those two fabulous and unjustifiably overlooked albums on Woronzow Records from guitarist Mick Wills – ‘The Woodcutter' and the fabulous ‘Patchwork Paint (Reprise)' is another song in a similar mould. Other songs, the jaunty ride-along ‘Happy Home' notable amongst them, are more trad. folk sounding, whilst the stand-out of the whole album for me at least is the five-minute long ‘This Road Gets Lonely' which culminates in a kind of orchestrated freakout. Lovely stuff! Get it before it's gone." (Phil McMullen) Terrascope - Terrascope Online (Reviewed August 2010). "The Rowan Amber Mill and their album Heartwood come across like a British version of first album-era Espers - all melodius vocals, earthly splendour and quiet grace. It's very pleasant overall, even if not as skilful or moving as the mighty Philadelphians. However it's when The Rowan Amber Mill try something a bit more adventurous that they properly stand out. Thus 'The Hunter' with its pared back feel, is by far the best track here. It's almost like an aria with the barely-understandable lyrics sung tautly and trippily by Sharon Eastwood. More such as this - clanking against the edges of expectation reather than sticking to the safer routes - would be very welcome. There's ample proof they can do it". Shindig magazine (September -October issue).
Heartwood from The Rowan Amber Mill - music to relish and savour. "The new album ‘Heartwood’ from The Rowan Amber Mill - perceptive purveyors of fantastical, flourishing pastoral psych-folk - offers more mysterious earth-magic and rustic fey music. This balm for your ears launches on 20 September 2010. To cure your ills just take of dose of its idyllic folk beauty and drift off into another wholly more peaceful and wonderful world – you’ll love every second. On this album the Rowan Amber Mill is Sharon (lead and harmony vocals, recorders) Terry (electric bass, guitar, percussion) Stephen (almost every other instrument including lead and harmony vocals, guitars, bouzouki, banjo, double bass, woodland orchestra elements, strings, woodwinds, brass, piano, harp, chimes triangle, glockenspiel). Plus she of the powerful, moody voice, Kim Guy, vocals on tracks 4 and 5. This music could only come from these shores, for nowhere other than Britain does the elements of myth, legend and timeless rustic folk combine in the same way. And few tellers of whispered woodland tales tell them so effectively as The Rowan Amber Mill. The album opens with ‘English Shire’ a more evocative rendition of rural England is hard to find with Sharon’s voice lifting and soaring over their mellow music. ‘Weaving the Willow’ anchors their style in a delicious tune reminiscent of medieval ethereal fantasy – you’ll hit replay a lot. With ‘Happy Home’ you instantly recognise Kim Guy’s distinctive tones adding a deep moody feel to the track. There is so much beautifully composed music on this album it’s hard to choose individual songs. ‘Patchwork Paint’ holds out its promise of hope and then treats you to an intricate reprise of the tune. Enticing you into its grip ‘Asleep’ is a soft soporific tune that precisely echoes its title. As the embrace becomes tighter with ‘Fire in the Wine’, the delicate encirclement continues with ‘The Bees Tell The Trees’ combining Sharon and Stephen on vocals. In all Heartwood offers 14 tracks to relish and savour – and when you hear them you will, no question". Review by FolkWords.com August 04, 2010 |
|||
|
A wonderful review on The Shadows Commence.com : "I was waiting quite impatiently for this album to come. I discovered THE ROWAN AMBER MILL though MySpace, and have been listening to their preview songs many a times the last year. There is something in their psychedelic, pastoral folk that I find very, very attractive. Can't put my finger on what though. I just get the feeling that this is so very special every time I hear it. And I love Kim's haunting, somewhat deep vocals what that they do to lift the sound high above ground. So, ”Midsummers” is the simple title. The CD comes in a simple cardboard digipak with a sticker on, holding all the artwork. From a little tray inside the packaging you can find a sheet with the titles of the tracks and some information about each and every one of them. I'd say the design and the artwork is amazing.
And I'd say the same about the music. It's hard to categorize and hard to describe, but to call this neo-Wicker Man music would be pretty fair I think. It's mysterious, darkly crafted, psychedelic folk with lots of interesting and unexpected turns taken. Yet, at the same time, it's all so very obvious. A review by http://www.folkwords.com reads thus: A review by Fatea Magazine : "Some songs become so associated with an event that people forget to perform it, "Sumer Is A Cumen" is such a song, forever linked to "The Wickerman" so power to The Rowan Amber Mill for reclaiming it on the mystical and majestic "Midsummers" album, an album of English folklore and themes. You can almost smell the cut grass in the hay meadow, watching the windmill turn in the breeze whilst enjoying a countryside picnic and yet at the same time be reminded that nature can be dark and beautiful as well as pretty and faye. This album catches both aspects." |
|||
|
|
|||
A review by the wonderful Terrascope.co.uk (in their July 09 rumbles section) reads: "Regular readers will remember us applauding the ‘Beyond the pale' psych-folk compilation earlier this year, and in particular a contribution by The Rowan Amber Mill, which we described as “intense and magnificent, a hypnotic banjo adding menace while an incessant drone nags away at the back of your mind”. The song was ‘Blood and Bones', and appears again in a considerably reworked form on the band's CD-EP ‘Midsummers' on which the trio of Stephen, Kim and Terry gambol through a collection of English folk song, from the traditional (the 14th century ‘Sumer is a Cumen In', a version of which appeared as the climax to the movie ‘ Wicker Man' ), to the contemporary (the superb ‘Spinning and Singing', featuring gorgeous harmonies and pastoral slide guitar) via ‘The Paper Owl and Golden Hare', a jaunty flute-driven folk song inspired partly by the novel The Owl Service and the 1970s TV adaptation. Although unrelated, if you are already a fan of folk-psych outfit The Owl Service you'll love these guys too. Top marks for packaging as well – my copy came in a hand-crafted card cover (makes note to self: write and ask them where they found the parts to craft this, as it's truly exquisite) ". 