The Barker Band - The Land We Hold Dear (2016)

Tracklist

01. The Fishing Song, Pt. 1
02. The Fishing Song, Pt. 2
03. You Took the Best of Me
04. Holy Word
05. Didn't Leave for Sea
06. Follow Old Love Around
07. Don't Fear the End
08. Wandering Girl Intro
09. Wandering Girl
10. Polly
11. Cry, Cry, Cry
12. Take My Love
13. Cut up His Face
14. Metals & Stones
15. Leave My Bonny
16. Our Farewell


The Barker Band returns with their exceptional sixth album, The Land We Hold Dear. Recorded at Soup Studios in London. With a strong folk feel and haunting songs that speak of lost love, the feeling far from home and the familiarity of the land we hold dear. The Barker Band was formed in 2004 by twins Jake and Sam Barker (vocals, banjo, mandolin) and Laurie Sherman (guitar) with Nella Johnson (vocals), Tom Wright (bass), Ru Sheeve (drums) and Simon Cohen (fiddle) . Their music can best be described as folk/rock with a bluegrass feel. Q Magazine has described as "sounds like no one like no one else". The West London based band have been making music together for the last ten years, playing a wide range of festivals, from Glastonbury and Bestival to South by South West. They have also had some big support from the likes of Bob Harris on BBC Radio 2 and Steve Lamacq on BBC 6 Music. It was through invading their dad's record collection that Sam and Jake's musical curiosity led them from the Carter Family to Fairport Convention, Black Sabbath, The Dillards and traditional English sea shanty. The band's previous albums have always twisted and turned their way through various music genres, blending their diverse influences, yet always retaining their distinctive signature Barker Band sound. The inspiration for 'The Land We Hold Dear' was to write new songs based on old folk traditions that have inspired the band over the years. After a quite few years following the loss of the twins father, who was an original member of the band and inspiration to them all, Jake, Sam and the rest of the band felt it was time to do an album in tribute to him. "His loss has left a big hole in the band and we wanted to honour him with this album. We poured our heart and soul into it, and for good measure we also put a heavy dose of banjo in there. . . he would of like that," clarifies Jake. "We wrote 'Don't Fear The End' in honour of our dad Lenny," explains Sam. "We very much stuck by the ethos we have always had when recording a new album; of surrounding ourselves with friends family and good musicians even enlisting the help of Hackney based blues/folk band 'The Ramshackle Union' they join us on the track 'Didn't Leave For Sea' With a trip to Norway and a couple of hundred miles under there belts The Barker Band came back with some amazing backing vocals from the 'Storm Weather Shanty Choir' a six piece Norwegian shanty band adding the perfect finishing touches to 'The 'Fishing Song' Part 2 and 'Leave My Bonny'. 'The Land We Hold Dear' is a celebration of all the band's strengths; Sublime harmonies, quality song-writing, formidable vocals and mean banjos. Those discovering the band for the first time will delight at the depth of this accomplished album, which draws on a rich folk tradition.

DOWNLOAD ALBUM [flac]