Erland And The Carnival
‘Erland And The Carnival’
(Full Time Hobby)

When did ‘folk’ become synonymous with teary-eyed, beardy, vegan types and not its storytelling origins? E&TC prove it’s less to do with acoustic guitars and meek dispositions and more about what kind of musical tale you can spin. Frontman Erland Cooper, guitarist Simon Tong (him from The Verve and The Good, The Bad And The Queen) and drummer David Nock treat folk history like a jumble sale to be picked from at will. What comes out is as varied as what you’ll find at your local charity stall – ‘Tramps And Hawkers’ evokes The Coral at their most mystical but with an Ennio Morricone guitar twang, whilst ‘Was You Ever See’ and ‘The Derby Ram’ are raucous and tuneful, breathing new life onto a much neglected genre.

Sophie Thomsett