James Yorkston - When The Haar Rolls In

A fourth studio album from James Yorkston sees him enlist his usual band of Athletes, as well as some folk legends in Norma Waterson, Mike Waterson, Marry Gilhooly and Olly Knight, to produce a folk album of epic proportions.

Strumming away on his guitar, I can almost smell the salty air wafting across my fish and chips and feel the coldness of my rock pool soaked socks. As with any traditional/folk style record, the music is as wholesome and honourable as a North East fishing community. The themes of the record echo throughout with a sense of belonging, being young and homely and not having a care in the world – this sort of freedom transfers to the music, with the songs being honest and ethereal, and a song writing style that doesn’t seem to be bound by any particular rules or criteria.

With every incidental violin, mandolin and concertina, I’m transported to the murky seaside town where the fog (or ‘Haar’) rolls in from the sea. This is atmospheric and creative folk that places this Yorkston album above any of his previous recordings, showing that he has evolved as something more than just your bog-standard folk singer into a great British songwriter.

4/5


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