If you Go Down to the Wood Today

[steepholm]

Chris Wood has a new album out, and I'd like to make two recommendations from it.

First, here's his setting of Housman's poem about Victoria's Golden Jubilee, "1887" - a work that's not as straightforwardly patriotic as may first appear. I mention it here particularly, though, because my brother worked on the setting with him, and accompanies him on the track.

Also, there's "Shallow End", which I heard him perform live a couple of years ago, and loved. It's just as good now.

Comments

[sovay]

First, here's his setting of Housman's poem about Victoria's Golden Jubilee, "1887"

SOLD ON ALBUM THANKS.

I did not know your brother was a musician. That is a very cool thing to be part of.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Yes, he's a composer (and a professor of music at Sussex), but in recent years has also done a lot of work with this band. It was at one of their club nights that I heard Chris Wood play.

[sovay]

Yes, he's a composer (and a professor of music at Sussex), but in recent years has also done a lot of work with this band.

I like the look of them. How is their sound?

It was at one of their club nights that I heard Chris Wood play.

I discovered him via Wood Wilson Carthy, courtesy of nineweaving.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

How is their sound?

Fundamentally a kind of modern classical/jazz fusion, semi-improvised sound - or at least that's what I'd call it, lacking the right words. But they have a wide variety of guest artists at their club (musicians mostly of course, but also spoken-word artists - e.g. Will Self, Benjamin Zephaniah - and even I think visual artists on occasion), and adapt accordingly.

[davesmusictank.livejournal.com]

That first one is lovely.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Isn't it just?

[kalimac.livejournal.com]

Those are very fine, though I'd describe them as so in a "ruminative singer-songwriter" way, rather than as folk music which I gather is how Wood presents himself.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean: I suppose it depends on how one defines folk music.

[nineweaving.livejournal.com]

Lovely. Understated. Sad.

Nine

[lilliburlero.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm not the better for listening to the Housman setting (floods, I tell you, floods) but I should know my own susceptibilities by now. It's a very sly poem, isn't it? Taking the military sentimentality and, um, weaponising it against imperialism.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

That's very well put. Yes, exactly so.

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

I first read that as your brother having worked with Housman ...

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Only at one remove...