The Malkies - Suited and Booted (LimboLabel)
The cheeky moniker conceals a right gang of reprobates, but they've no need to hide themselves away waiting for a bus in the middle of nowhere, for on the evidence of this CD (and some awesome live appearances, including its launch gig) they're really going places. The Malkies formed around a year ago, with feisty-but-sensitive Glasgow-born singer-songwriter Alistair Hulett teaming up with those three currently-Yorkshire-based musos of high repute Phil Snell (mando/fiddle wiz, ex-Bayou Gumbo and St. Louis Zipper), Hugh Bradley (double bass, ex-Whisky Priests) and Hugh Whitaker (drums, also ex-Bayou Gumbo). Together they produce what they describe as “hybrid music for uncertain times”, wherein folk music from the traditions of Scotland, England, Ireland and the Americas is melded inextricably with country, celtabilly and rogue folk, serving up something quite unique and tremendously exhilarating. Happily, their repertoire encompasses several of Alistair's own songs, which invariably embrace a strong political conscience; here, Out In The Danger Zone, Playing For The Traffic, The Day That The Boys Came Down come into this category, as do suitably sparky covers of Pete Seeger's Quite Early Morning (a mighty gem, this) and Guthrie's Pastures Of Plenty – and indeed, the CD's own “calling-on song”, the catchy Buy Us A Drink. Not to mention the disc's finale: what else but The Internationale?!... The Malkies also turn in elegant and well-considered versions of traditional ballads (The Wife Of Usher's Well and High Germany), and the parlour-song pastiche The Road To Dundee (found in the repertoire of many a tradition-based song-carrier), while I loved their “Pictish-Blues” take on the bothy ballad The Overgate. It's an invigorating mix alright, the mood and delivery may be (roughly) good-time, but it's done with buckets of taste and real style. There's loads of delectable inner detail in the arrangements, and the musicians are having a ball too; there's an easygoing, if slightly-rough-and-tumble backroom feel to the music-making that flatters to deceive by belying the expertise of the participants, but it's so darned appealing! Phil's dexterity on his newly-acquired ironing-board (sorry - pedal steel!) is worthy of special mention, as is his consummate skill in matters of recording, production, layout and design (clever b*****!). Another dimension of vocal heaven is brought to the mix with the harmonies on several tracks contributed oh-so-naturally by the stunning Rachel Goodwin (ex-Waking The Witch). All of which adds up to a welcomingly assured and disarmingly stylish band debut that really is a constant delight.
www.themalkies.co.uk
David Kidman