Nicholas Malcolm (trumpet); Thomas
Seminar Ford (guitar, electronics), Rebecca Nash (piano, keyboards); Chris Mapp
(bass, electronics); Matt Fisher (drums); Sara Colman (vocals); Nick Walters
(electronics)
(Review
by Hugh C)
Peaceful
King is Rebecca
Nash’s first release as leader, along with her band, Atlas. She is joined in her long-time collaboration
with Malcolm, Ford, Mapp and Fisher by vocalist Sara Colman.
Peaceful King slowly appears out of
the ether with atmospheric electronics by Nick Walters. A groove is established on drums and bass and
Nicholas Malcolm’s rich trumpet sound adds icing to the cake. The track
has a positivity which is stated to be “a reaction to the current state of the
world” - we certainly need some of that!
Tumbleweed features an opening drum ‘n’ bass style riff (Nash
hails from Bristol – purportedly the drum ‘’n’ bass capital of the world). The
groove continues apace (this tumbleweed is moving fast!) with extensive
keyboard contributions by Nash.
Hot Wired features the vocals of Sara
Colman with lyrics about a “sassy, feisty female”, keys, bass and drums
supporting the melodic line, with extensive keyboard solos. The song fades to electronic effects and
after a brief track break Grace appears after electronic intro. Colman here tells a story, after the manner
of Joni Mitchell. Dreamer
apparently references the cyclic patterns of the late John Taylor, vocals again
by Colman with extensive piano solos.
We now
return to the purely instrumental. Lokma
features Seminar Ford on guitar, with long stretches of bass/piano
interplay driven by Fisher’s drumming. Little
Light slows things right down, Malcolm’s
trumpet stretches over tinkling piano evoking a vast, prairie-like expanse,
before drum, bass and guitar restore some confines of rhythm, preparing us for
the driving, rocky feel of Inishbofin
inspired by a turbulent boat crossing to the Irish island of the same name.
Peaceful
King, pleasant listen and well executed album, is available now on Whirlwind
Recordings (WR4748). Atlas can be
experienced on tour as far west as Bristol (30 October), as far north as
Birmingham (31 October), and also somewhere called London (20 November) where
the album launch will be held at the Sebright Arms.
Full
details available on https://www.rebeccanashmusic.com/shows/
Hugh C
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