Traditional English Music played on the squeezebox, bound to be pleasant and boring. Well, it is anything but. 'Rakes and Misfits' is the second solo album from this member of folk trio Granny’s Attic. Cohen is a singer and instrumentalist; he plays melodeons and concertina. The work was recorded live in the studio with no overdubs and it's all his own work.
The songs are a mix of traditional and those written by the artist in the traditional style. The subject matter is outcasts and misfits – for example, ‘The Jolly Highwayman’, ‘New Barbary’ and ‘Female Rake’. There are also several alternate approaches to courtship in ‘Strawberry Lane’ and ‘The Dancing Tailor’. The mix is seamless between the old and the new.
The playing is of the highest order, displaying bags of energy and skill. The live feel really comes through. Squeezeboxes mightn’t be regarded as the most out-there of instruments but in the hands of such a skilled player, they produce a surprising drive and bite to the music.
All the songs are very well sourced and researched. Proper old-fashioned sleeve notes set out background and context to each song. Alongside the songs, we get a couple of sets of tunes, played with great feeling.
This work might not be immediately appealing to some but ‘Rakes and Misfits’ is well worth a listen. The standard displayed by this fine young musician and his attention to the detail of his craft are much to be admired and enjoyed.