Music : Freedom Fields

Rating: - Different version of "The White Hare" !
A quick warning: if, like me, you were moved to investigate this album after hearing "The White Hare" on the radio (probably Wogan) - beware! The version here is different, and - in my opinion - inferior. It's a good album, buy it by all means, but you'll need to get the CD single of "Hare" for the so-called "radio version".

I hate it when they do that....

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Rating: - Great album....and he's even better live
Cant believe the reviewer who wasnt impressed with this guy. This is a great album...it really inspires me. Although i have to say Seth is even better live in concert..he is a great performer

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Rating: - Style over substance?
There are several really good tracks on this album - King and Country and The White Hare being real stand-outs. Then there others - Colliers, for instance - which feel contrived and are just not nice on the ear. This is probably down to the artist trying so hard to be `different', that in places he has ended up creating a dog's breakfast instead.
Overall, I'm slightly disappointed. Seth Lakeman has been massively hyped as The Next Big Thing on the folk scene. With his film star name and looks to match, a lot of people have desperately wanted to elevate him to be the male answer to the wave of highly successful young women singers of the last few years - Rusby, Carthy, Dillon, et al.
But for me, the reality doesn't live up to the promise.
I just don't think Seth has that great a voice. Comfortable enough on some tracks, in others his singing sounds distinctly strained and whiny. He also has this weird habit of randomly exaggerating the occasional flat vowel sound, in what I can only describe as David Essex moments. He does it in several numbers. And no, this is not his honest Devonian accent coming through - it's a vocal affectation which presumably Seth believes is cool, but is actually intrusive and naff. The effect is to undermine authenticity.
In summary, much of this album is very pleasant to listen to, but in places it feels a bit too contrived. Not what you expect from folk. Not even from studiedly contemporary folk.

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Rating: - Wonderful
I love this album. Several of the songs are top of my 'most listened to' list on my iPod.

I know some people might be a little put off by the folk label - don't be (great music is great music.)

The grounding of the songs in history (or legend) brings a very different sensibility to this album to a lot of other music out there and that timelessness is cemented by Seth Lakeman's voice and very English accent.

I adore the insistent fiddle and drums on 'Lady of the Sea' - it perfectly captures the urgency of a ship under full sail skimming across the water.

'The Colliers' is my absolute favourite. I love the arangement with the repeated, interwoven refrains and simple instrumentation.

With 'Childe the Hunter' it's those momentary pauses in the vocal and the melancholy chorus.

'1643' - I love the stately, marching pace of the song and the catchy 'These four walls are at the heart of the kingdom.'

'Riflemen of War' - fantastic intro, and then a driving drum beat which rises to the fore in the arrangement at key points.

Other favourties include the White Hare and the Charmer - basically I like the whole album!

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Rating: - AWESOME LIVE
Saw Seth last night and he was superb!

Don't miss the chance to see him if you can.

The new songs showcased were fantastic too!