SETH LAKEMAN

It's been two years since I introduced you to Ballad of the Broken Few, Seth Lakeman's previous album. He returns with The Well Worn Path, his ninth opus. While his previous album had been recorded in a 17th century mansion, a bare album where he was accompanied by the Wildwood Kin vocal trio, this time Seth chose to return to his own studio in his garden in Devon.

He formed a quartet, with Ben Nicholls on bass, Kit Hawes on guitars and Evan Jenkins on drums. And he asked his brother Sean for help on one song and his sister-in-law Kathryn Roberts who sings with him on five songs. The result, a more progressive rock music, yet very much rooted in his native Dartmoor whose fresh air you can almost feel and perceive the rugged landscape. Over the past year, Seth has toured extensively with Robert Plant (former singer of Led Zeppelin) and this has of course left a few traces in his music.

Opening with Seth's characteristic sound, based on a drone violin and acoustic guitar, the album begins with Bright Smile and slowly trains you before the rhythm section imposes itself as on most songs. Seth Lakeman has always been a storyteller and an observer of the human condition and his new album does not deviate from the rule with very strong lyrics like Lend a Hand or Fitzsimmon's Fight which tells the story of the fight of a famous boxer from Cornwall. It's still Dig New Ground, a real war cry for the workers. A brilliant album by a singer and musician who is no less brilliant.

Cooking Vinyl COOLCD709 - www.sethlakeman.co.uk