Ian King - Panic Grass & Fever Few (2010)

A beautiful and remarkably assured debut album from Ian King, Panic Grass & Fever Few mixes English traditional song with a very contemporary sound palate. Working with the acclaimed On-U sound crew – Adrian Sherwood and Skip ‘Little Axe’ McDonald – has enabled King to bring a new and exciting perspective to the songs of Old England.

“It’s been quite a while since I felt this excited and impressed by a singer. Ian King has star-quality and a commanding stage-presence. He is a grown-up singer, straightforward and strong, and his band, which includes the incomparable Skip McDonald, surprises and intrigues with accompaniments that are elegant, witty, daring and powerful. This is English folk music for the 21st century!” Shirley Collins

The album’s title comes from a phrase in John Hersey’s war retrospective Hiroshima where the author refers to the green shoots of herbs that swiftly emerged from the ashes of that catastrophic event.

track list:
1 Adieu To Old England
2 Death and The Lady
3 Black Eyed Susan
4 Evil Eye
5 Four Loom Weaver
6 By George
7 Flash Company
8 Ah Robin, Gentle Robin
9 Take, O Take Those Lips
10 How Should I Your True Love Know?
11 Isle Of France
12 Old Miner
13 Jovial Broom Man

IAN KING – lead vocals, guitar, banjo and mandolin
PETE LOCKETT – percussion
The Chrispy Horns:
DAVE FULLWOOD – trumpet
CHRIS PETTER – trombone
RICHARD DOSWELL – saxophone & flute
with
GHETTO PRIEST, VALERIE SKEETE & MADELAINE EDGHILL – backing vocals
DENISE SHERWOOD – duet vocals
SKIP McDONALD – additional guitars and bass
DOUG WIMBUSH – bass
FILIPE TAVARES – violin