The Beguilers - Fred Thomas -
F-IRECD90 (digital-only) (2015)
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Fred Thomas weaves crafted song-writing into the narratives of poems by William Blake, Emily Brontë, William Shakespeare, James Joyce, Walter Savage Landor and Thomas Carew. Drawing on a wonderfully strange repository of musical influences - English folk, Joao Gilberto, Minimalism, the Aka Pigmies, The Beatles, and the English Madrigal School - Fred Thomas' settings delicately bring the poets' images and metaphors to life with finely wrought harmonies and luscious melodies.
PERSONNEL
| Fred Thomas |
guitars, percussion, piano, bass, bvs, cello, composition, arranging |
| Ellie Rusbridge |
vocals |
| Dave Shulman |
clarinets |
| Liam Byrne |
viola da gamba |
| Malte Hage |
electric bass |
TRACK-LIST
1 |
|
A Dream |
2:57 |
2 |
|
The Little Boy Lost |
5:02 |
3 |
|
Fall, Leaves, Fall |
6:08 |
4 |
|
The Night Wind |
2:46 |
5 |
|
Gentle Lady |
6:09 |
6 |
|
Lover's Tale |
4:21 |
7 |
|
Mother, I Cannot Mind My Wheel |
4:29 |
8 |
|
Ask Me No More |
4:52 |
9 |
|
Love To Faults is Always Blind |
4:38 |
10 |
|
Rest, Sweet Nymphs |
5:08 |
11 |
|
Take, O Take Those Lips Away |
4:18 |
12 |
|
A Cradle Song |
4:55 |
TECHNICAL INFO
| Production |
Fred Thomas |
| Mixing |
Fred Thomas & Alex Bonney |
| Mastering |
Jon Astley |
| Artwork |
Ted Allen |
REVIEWS
“Rose has a touching and pure voice, well suited to the affecting melodies Thomas writes, and Shulman provides just the right amount of textural and tonal variety.” – - Chris Parker (London Jazz)
“Fred Thomas took William Blake’s poetry and wove a rich tapestry of intricate acoustic guitar and clarinet, over which Ellie Rose’s exquisite vocals were allowed to shine....these classic works come to life”
– The Liminal
“It’s the combination of Ellie Rose’s haunting voice with beautiful compositions that give this band its unique and unclassifiable quality – a treat equally for lovers of poetry, jazz, classical music and folksong”
– Peter Slavid (UK Jazz Radio)
“Fred Thomas’ version of Blake’s ‘London’ is the finest setting of the poem that I know – the human ear adorned with manacles more beautiful than any earring”
– Tim Heath, Chair of the Blake Society.
LINKS
fred-thomas.co.uk/the-beguilers
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