Pilgrims' Way - Red Diesel (2016)

Red Diesel, the first album for 5 years from BBC Horizon award nominees, Pilgrims' Way, is a full fat, export strength, throttle-wide-open exploration of the contemporary English tradition. Building on where they left off with the acclaimed 'Wayside Courtesies', this is a big sounding, one-way cavalry charge at the barricades. Drawing the majority of the material from the tradition, no cow is too sacred in the development of the sound. Playing 40 instruments between them, the scope is vast. There are even Tubular bells. The band demonstrate the full range of their powers, from the good old fashioned thrash through 'Light Dragoon', the sparse treatment of Les Barker's beautiful 'Maybe Then I'll be a Rose', the prog style development of the epic 'Ride in the Creel', to the textured Jews Harp led soundscape of '6 Dukes'. They're a band at the peak of their powers, touching countless genres on their way through ten action packed tracks. Pilgrims' Way are Edwin Beasant, Lucy Wright, Jon Loomes, and Tom Kitching.