(2021) Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne - Rakes & Misfits          


Review:
Most people will know Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne from young folk upstarts, the brilliant Granny’s Attic. And while his playing (melodeon, anglo concertina) and singing are core to that talented trio, this is pure Braithwaite-Kilcoyne. His vocals and box-playing delve deep into the songs and tunes with an alarming virtuosity. Particularly when you consider it was recorded ‘live in-studio’ with no overdubs. Rakes & Misfits is suitably chosen as a title for this collection, many of the songs are about outcasts and people on the fringes. It’s Cohen’s second solo album, and things have moved on from his acclaimed debut, Outway Songster in 2016. This follow-up features more self-penned songs and tunes, plus a commanding self-assurance. The New Barbary kicks off the album like a jab in the ribs, and the energy and skill doesn’t stop until the closing notes of From Marble Arch to Leicester Square. You can imagine the steam coming off his melodeons and concertinas at the end of the session. That’s not to say there isn’t light and shade. The pairing of the tunes, Female Rake/The Drunken Drummer is taken at a pace, while Worcester Farewell is lilting and intimate. And there’s light relief in songs like The Dancing Tailor, the concertina accompaniment adding a suitably comedic parping to this tale of a tailor losing his britches (and a lot more besides). And it’s also heartwarming to see a nod to multi-instrumentalist with Fairport Convention (and much, much more besides), the greatly-missed Maartin Allcock on the second tune of the medley, The Grumpy Old Man/Maart’s Fancy. The playing throughout will make your eyes water and the singing is always fervent and true. This is an album for concertina-lovers everywhere. And for all those who don’t yet revere the squeezebox in all its glorious forms, this might well make a few converts. Welcome to hell, rakes and misfits everywhere.





Track Listing:
1.New Barbary 04:07
2.The Jolly Highwayman 03:35
3.Female Rake/ The Drunken Drummer 03:38
4.The New Deserter 05:24
5.Strawberry Lane 03:46
6.The Dancing Tailor 03:42
7.The Grumpy Old Man/ Maart's Fancy 04:38
8.Tom King 04:28
9.Broken Down Gentleman 02:45
10.Countryman in Birmingham 04:22
11.Worcester Farewell 04:30
12.From Marble Arch to Leicester Square 05:19


Media Report:
Genre: british folk
Country: UK
Format: FLAC
Format/Info: Free Lossless Audio Codec, 16-bit PCM
Bit rate mode: Variable
Channel(s): 2 channels
Sampling rate: 44.1 KHz
Bit depth: 16 bits