Doghouse Roses

Perfection, or as near to perfection as we might reasonably expect, this is a quite beautiful recording. From the sepia - toned artwork to the peerless production, this kind of feels like the British folk record I've been waiting to hear for a long time. Ok, so there's no such thing as British Folk - there's Welsh, English, Scots or Irish and any number of regional subdivisions. Paul Tasker and Iona MacDonald, guitars and vocals respectively, are the Scots who comprise Doghouse Roses, and this is an entirely Made in Scotland production. However, as their previous recordings and their collaborations make clear, they draw their music from many sources, everything from Bert Jansch and the folk revival generation to the Willard Grant Cospiracy.

The sound that results is quite definitely British but is their own particular synthesis, not at any time insistently regional. And for that I give thanks because, for me, folk music in this country has remained trapped in a prison of self determined authenticity, unable to properly embrace life in the 21st century. I know, there have been others who have been breaking out in the last few years whilst the traditional music scene, in Scotland at least, has had a vibrancy and enthusiasm that keeps it vital. Nonetheless, it's pure pleasure to find these guys easing folk music into a bright new future.

It helps that this collection is all new, self-penned songs; the titles and some phrases that come through seem to have some of that folk music love of archaic notions but the field of reference is broader than that and perfectly contemporary in fact. What the words seem to have really is a quality of stepping back from the hurly burly of life and contemplating events from a little distance, which is just fine. But what makes This Broken Key such a pleasure is the perfect musical marriage of her voice and his guitar playing. Iona's singing has all the qualities of the best folk voices; she phrases things beautifully, has great clarity and sings at times with the richness and resonance of Natalie Merchant. Comparisons are sometimes inappropriate; Iona's got a style and qualities in her voice that are all her own and completely compelling. Like all the best singers, even on a recording it seems she can surprise you on each listening.

Ditto Paul Tasker's guitar playing. It's a mystery to me how he can conjure such depths of sound out of one guitar and one pair of hands. There is brilliantly restrained support here from Alan Scobie on keyboards, Fraser West on drums, Craig Strain on bass and Ian Strain on banjo, all making their presence felt but not really noticed, serving to set off the beauty and inventiveness of his playing. He never sounds brash or aggressive though he often picks with a strong enough emphasis on the rhythm to give pace and bite to the song. Mostly though he just explores the capabilities of his instrument to evoke all possible moods and it's just one of those happy things in life that these two consummate musicians have found each other and have produced something quite wonderful. What's happening for me is that each hearing of this album seems to identify a new favourite song ; at the moment I'm torn between Blue Moon on the Mountain - which sounds pretty much like a Gillian Welch/Dave Rawlings tribute - and the painful beauty of Trouble Gathering. Wonderful, wonderful stuff, this'll be a favourite for years to come.
John Davy, September 2010