David Carroll and Friends Martin Hutchinson reviews ‘Bold Reynold’.

David Carroll and Friends

Highly Strung

Martin Hutchinson reviews ‘Bold Reynold’.

David Carroll spent much of the seventies travelling on the buoyant Folk club and college circuits with Folk band Spinning Wheel. After Punk Rock came and the demand for older forms of music declined, he gained a qualification in stringed instrument making and repairing, which led to a long and successful career in the musical instrument industry. He also was an in-demand session player and live performer thanks to his expertise in such diverse stringed instruments such as uilleann pipes and dulcimer as well as the more familiar guitar, bouzouki and mandolin. The idea of a solo album brewed over many years and, bolstered by the offers of help from many good friends, this is the result.

The nine track ‘Bold Reynold’ puts the the Rock back into Folk Rock. It features seven traditional songs, an epic version of the anti-whaling song ‘The Last Leviathan’ and the Dave Cousins (Strawbs) classic, ‘The Battle’. Helping Carroll out are Fairport Convention’s Chris Leslie and Dave Pegg; Tom Spencer from The Men They Couldn’t Hang and renowned singer Lucy Cooper. We also have Dave Oberle, Graeme Taylor and Brian Gulland from Gryphon (Taylor also produced).

I’m a sucker for the sound of the dulcimer, bouzouki and mandolin, so this album’s music was, to me, wonderful (although I would have loved a bit of harpsichord in there), and the vocals were spot on. Yes, there will be comparisons with Steeleye Span, but Carroll and friends have their own sound which sets them apart. It’s different, and definitely in a good way.

‘Bold Reynold’ is out now on Talking Elephant Records.