When folkies like Fairport Convention or Trees rocked out in the early Seventies, they assimilated then contemporary sounds. Attempts to ape them today, as in swathes of the Philadelphia psych-folk underground, can whiff of costumed re-enactment.
Praise John Barleycorn, then, for Trembling Bells, whose third album is both stoically historic and heroically now.
Confidently proclaiming themselves a feature of the titular Constant Pageant, assuming a role in an ongoing tradition, Trembling Bells hit new levels of excellence. A sudden sense of purpose sees their most pronounced avant-rock leanings and ragged improvisatory edges selflessly shorn, sensing some vast utilitarian undertaking almost within their grasp. Michael Hastings’ Tardis guitar tumbles through time, snatching the notes it needs from incompatible eras; Simon Shaw’s bass charts a pole star path through Alex Neilson’s tempestuous free jazz percussion; processionary horns toot; and Lavinia Blackwall can make skyward shifts into a head voice that would wither an X-Factor finalist, on the nosebleed inducingly brilliant Where Do I Go From You, and replicate woozy abandon, on the majestic lurch of the declaratory, tumultuous opener Just As The Rainbow.
The group do cast their net wider than British folk. The pounding punk-prog number Otley Rock Oracle, channelling Mountain’s Nantucket Sleighride, belongs by virtue of its hallucinatory folkloric narrative. Cold Heart Of Mine’s blues harp connects Americana with its European roots and Hastings’ raga like licks look East. In the 21st century nothing can exist in splendid isolation.
The Constant Pageant offers a poetic incantation of British identity far brighter than Michael Gove’s proposed GCSE history syllabus.
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury