Although they never really went away, folk and country-inspired singer-songwriters have had somewhat of a renaissance in the past few years. The latest to dive into this well-swum pool is multi-instrumentalist Weikie, and fortunately (or more precisely through planning) "Raise Our Sunken Ship" has enough about it to stand out from the many other similarly-influenced offerings.
While the songs here can be generally, and lazily, categorised as "folk" and some would fit that description perfectly, there is more ambition and scope across the album as a whole. What strikes this reviewer about the opening track "Raise Our Sunken Ship" is the dense layering of sound. While on the surface it is a Fionn Regan-esque guitar-driven acoustic number, underneath there are strains of atmospheric, and almost sinister, cello.
"I Am The Tin Man" is more conventional, and is based around an upbeat banjo melody. This is followed by "The One That Got Away", a slightly slower track rounded-out with hand-claps and violin that give hints of country music that are developed further on the excellent "Little Brother", which features slide guitar and a strong vocal performance.
Following is "Cadasil", another multi-layered track sadly weakened by a repeated, and to these ears unnecessary, vocal refrain at the end. It is a strong song, but hangs around a fraction too long. "Deus et Tutamen", a musically minimal track, with stripped-back banjo and seemingly plaintive vocals. This would seem to capture Weikie at his most raw, and it works very well.
"Halcyon" is the perfect demonstration of the ambitiousness. How many other "folk" artists would contemplate writing and recording an 8-minute song? There is one featured on "Raise Our Sinking Ship", and it is the probably the centre-piece of the album. It is a gentle, again quite minimal song, but slowly adds the now familiar layers of subtle strings, and haunting backing vocals. It is lyrically sophisticated too, telling the story of a seriously ill protagonist with great maturity and sympathy. Superb.
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"A Smile Is Not A Forecast For Today" is a return to the more conventional, jauntier banjo-led style of the opening track, but includes section towards the end that could be the music with which John Wayne disappears into the sunset having just dispatched his Mexican foe. "Big Fish In A Little Sea" is the most overtly "folk" song here, again consisting of just singer and skilfully-plucked banjo.
The final two tracks are "Brooch" a rather cinematic epic, and the sparse, piano-led "Rope" which closes the whole affair on a rather melancholic note... Oh, and there is a short "hidden" track at the end.
While it is not a perfect album (few are), as a debut solo release, it shows great promise indeed. Weikie deserves much credit for taking a familiar genre and, at times, pushing it in new directions. A talent well-worth keeping an eye on.
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