Over the past decade or so, Granny’s Attic have risen to the very top of English folk music, and deservedly so. The trio of Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne, George Sansome and Lewis Wood are masters in their craft and they are among the finest musicians keeping the tradition fresh and vital.
What I particularly appreciate about their latest release, Cold Blows The Wind, is the fact that it takes a slightly different path from the previous two albums. Wheels of the World (2016) featured brisk and self-confident performances of trad material, and the all-instrumental The Brickfields (2021) had mostly their original material.
Cold Blows The Wind is another offering of trad songs, but this time the tone of the album is more subdued: delicate arrangements and very few faster moments, with the overall atmosphere of almost reverent focusing on the stories, both sad and playful, in the songs.
This is one of those albums that will not benefit from being played in the background. These guys create an amazingly textured band sound with just a few instruments, and the music doesn’t try to sell itself to you. In fact, listening to this, I often felt like I was attending a very “up close and personal” living room concert where no one needs to be loud or hurried – so nice!
In short, with this outing, Granny’s Attic continue their impressive streak. Warmly recommended.
FolkNotes 