The Ree-Vahs! – Man Overboard (Folk Me Records)
CD / DL
January 2018
8.5 / 10
North Eastern folk collective release their third album.
The title of the first two albums by The Ree-Vahs! will
possibly give a hint to what to expect from Man Overboard – Geordieland (2014)
and Yee Ha With The Ree-Vahs! (2016) were, not surprisingly, modern day folk
albums sung in a Geordie accent by lead vocalist and songwriter Andy Lee. But, each album came with a twist as behind
every beautifully and superbly played instrument was a tale of everyday life
and association.
Man Overboard in many ways is no exception but the sentiment
is far greater than ever before and one which no-one wold ever want to find
themselves faced with. In May 2016, Paul
Lee, brother of Andy, sadly took his own life at the age of 46. Days before, he and Andy had been rehearsing
songs which would have formed part of this album. They had written and performed
together for over thirty years. What is
interesting about Man Overboard is that with the knowledge of Paul, each song
can seem to reference him even when the intention maybe isn’t there.
This eight track album, weighing in at less than twenty
seven minutes and performed by a total of twenty members from the borders of
Durham and Northumberland gives as much social commentary as it tells about the
loss of a brother and friend.
Opening with one of two versions of the title track, Man Overboard
is a four-track home recording by Paul. It is eerie to say the least and sends
shivers down the spine. His dulcet tones
providing haunting words of a soul clearly tortured and struggling to stay
together. What follows is a song that
the brothers were working on three days before Paul’s death, Pack Your Bags
tells of moving on in life and not clinging to the past. With added cello and fiddle, Andy’s vocals
are heartfelt and genuine and, as his final vocal closes the song something
else creeps into view – his quite superb vocal range and quality is something
that is not to be underestimated at any point during the album.
Acoustic guitar by Ben Helm is the main instrumental feature
of Stronger Than Me (Non-Binary), a song of bullying and non-conformity nestles next to an upbeat track about the love
of music in Sing Our Songs In The Dark complete with trumpet accompaniment and
a goose-bump inducing singalong finale if ever there was one.
Under The Wheels pays tribute to Paul’s life with words by
Andy and Dan Kilford. It sympathetically
takes inspiration from the things Paul lived through with the song title taken
from a text message he sent to his brother shortly before his death. “Watching telly, eating ready meals, thinks
no one knows how he feels; he fell of the wagon and under the wheels.”
Jigsaw sees a rockier approach with added bass and guitar
and Go See describes a people watcher in a town square as fiddles and acoustic
drums join the fray. Ending with a reprise
of the title track in its full format, this album is special. Special not only because of its sad story but
also because of its uplifting outlook and very special content. Paul would be very proud – rest in peace.
Website
Published on Louder Than War 15/01/18 - here
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