I went to see Seth Lakeman the other night. When he played “In The Gloaming” he said: “this one is off the new album, it seems to sum the record up. It was recorded in four days in January in my studio in Dartmoor, in the grey and cold, that’s probably why the music is so happy…..”
In truth, Lakeman’s music has always been from the Devon countryside. You can almost feel the south west air and the rugged landscape in these songs.
That is not to say, though, that “Well Worn Path” doesn’t move into different areas than before. There is a more political edge than usual. On “Drink Till I’m Dry” for example, he sings “I’ll drink until all wealth is shared, fair, equal amounts to men. I’ll drink mine up and drink till its shared out again.” Which – quite apart from being enough to get my vote on any ballot paper that you care to stick in front of me – is a bit of a departure.
Lead single “Divided We Fall” – a real rabble rouser – had signalled this too. As Joe Hill once said: “there is a power in a union” and this comes from that place. It is also a vehicle for the new band that Lakeman has acquired for this endeavour to show their wonderful skills. Kit Hawes on guitar and Evan Jenkins on drums have fitted in magnificently, and are able to help the music take in the same sort of varied colours as the last one “Ballads of the Broken Few”.
For all that, though, it is another voice that colours so much of “….Path”. Lakeman’s sister-in-law Kathryn Roberts, lends her beautiful (there is no other word) harmonies to a handful of these and they are elevated to another plain as a result.
“She Never Blamed Him” – a more Americana song than you might be used to from the artist – is the first and is both basically a duet and a real highlight, while the aforementioned “The Gloaming” is another that benefits from her presence. The way that one opens out from its stark beginning to something more akin to classic rock is indicative, perhaps, of a fresh approach (Ben Hillier, who has worked with Depeche Mode and Doves, is Producer here as if to emphasise the point.)
Of course, Lakeman has always been a gifted storyteller and observer of the human condition and “Well Worn Path” doesn’t forget this either. “The Educated Man” throbs and pulses, and the chorus of “a word is like a jewel, he said, read everything you can….” seems to be more than key, not just here, but throughout everything he does. Likewise “Fitzsimmons’ Fight” – a tale about Bob Fitzsimmons, the lightest ever heavyweight boxing world champ – is a real prog rock thing.
This is a brilliant record, a truly incredible 11 songs. It is evident from the opening bars of “Bright Smile” – with its slightly epic flavour – that nothing was off-limits here. “Lend A Hand” is the most starkly English folk, with Lakeman and his fiddle providing the fine bedrock, the bass of Ben Nicholls provides a mighty foundation to “Lend A Hand” and there is something unsettling in the sounds of “Judge Not A Man”. A heartfelt plea, perhaps, for just a little more understanding.
Things end with the title track, and as its timeless, almost idyllic, sounds fill the air, you reflect on the name of the album. On one hand, it is a record that is unmistakably one that belongs to Seth Lakeman, but on the other, he has taken himself and his band on a journey to new areas. It is this re-invention, perhaps, that makes Seth Lakeman such a rare artist. His ninth album is quite outstanding and a path that leads to some stunning beauty.
Rating 9.5/10
