Skinny Lister // Forge & Flagon
"By being recorded in a studio somewhere the nuanced vocals and the gutsy feeling of the whole thing is compromised."
Skinny Lister – Forge & Flagon (Sunday Best Recordings)
The saddest thing about Skinny Lister’s debut is the lone thud of a bass drum that keeps time in shanties ‘John Kanaka’, ‘Wild as the Wind Blows’ and ‘Polkas’. The harmonies are well practiced, and the mood jovial, but you’re left feeling a little underwhelmed. There should be the rumble of punters stamping, the sound of sloshing ale as glass hits oak, the comforting hum of background chatter and the whooping of a friendly, rosy faced landlord, keen to see his pub so lively ... but you don’t get that listening to this record. Now I’m no expert, but if I’d want to listen to proper folk, rather than the en vogue neo-folk of years past, I’d want to see it live, perhaps in a pub like The Forge & Flagon (after which the album is titled). By being recorded in a studio somewhere the nuanced vocals and the gutsy feeling of the whole thing is compromised. Yes, there are tracks like ‘Peregrine Fly’, ‘Plough & Orion’ and ‘Colours’ that are less conducive to live performances and sound far better as a result, but the fact that shanties permeate the album means Skinny Lister wanted to recreate their undoubtedly superior live show, but unfortunately never manage to live up to it. Forge & Flagon is a record that’s neither perfectly polished nor rousingly raw, and unfortunately it loses the appeal of either as a result.
4/10
Alex Throssell
