Album Reviews
‘Tenerife to Dover’ grabs your attention and refuses to let go (August 01, 2009)
There’s a temptation to describe Warblefly as punk folk – a
convenient label perhaps but there’s more to Warblefly than that. To my ears
this brand of folk needs a more fitting description. In struggling to find the
right words ‘steam hammer folk’ came to mind as did ‘rocket folk’, neither do
full justice to their sound but both tell you that their album ‘Tenerife to
Dover’ grabs your attention and refuses to let go. This is full-throttle folk.
In case you don’t know, Warblefly are Frank van Veen
(electric guitar)
David Hassell (fiddle)
Dave Hodgson (vocals) Peter Frizzell
(mandolin, mandola, guitars, vocals) Minna Harman (acoustic guitar, fiddle,
vocals) Steve Harker (drums) Elly van Veen (melodeon) and Andrew Beckerman
(bass guitar).
The opening track ‘Warblefly steams in with driving drums
and bass, rocky guitar and
 searing fiddle that sets out the band’s stall – what
you hear is what you get – as they say: “If you like it say you like it and if
you don’t then say you don’t, and if you can’t decide then say you can’t
decide.” No ambivalence there then. The mood continues ‘Your Fist, My
Face’ and ‘Broken Body Parts’ which deliver exactly what you would expect -
with the pedal to the metal
. Again,
machine-gun drums and solid bass maintain the pace. Then there’s ‘Axle
Strumpet’ with more than a touch of manic firelight dancing, which doubtless
has people on their feet whatever their condition – drunk, dead or alive.
The album continues with ‘Shrimp Boy’ – a rage against
youthful rock-pool invaders from the crustaceans that live there – great
lyrics. There’s plenty of opportunity for Warblefly to show their combined
power but ‘7 Deadly Sins’ and ‘The Ghost of Hamston Moor’ are fine examples. 'Cheesy
Bits’ is another instrumental but God help anyone brave enough to try a step –
they’ll tie up their legs. ‘Underwater Breathing Competition’ with its echoing
vocal takes a darker edge to most of their music and it’s damn good. The album
closes just as it opened and you’re off on another racing Warblefly calliope of
music, power and energy with ‘Wind in My Hair’.
Warblefly play folk with force, steam or rocket, depending
on your personal view and your perference for fuel; boiling water or liquid oxygen. Whatever words you use this is exactly what English folk
needs - folk on full power. Sure you’ll have to sit down for a while to recover but throw yourself
into Warblefly and feel great.
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