Released October 5, Tigertrap Records
Folk music is enjoying a lengthy revival in the UK at the moment. Festivals for the genre are springing up all over the place and the stream of talented artists shows no sign of letting up.
Mainstream, though, it generally ain’t (world-renowned artists like Bob Dylan accepted). And that’s where, for part of Wojtek Godzisz’s self-titled debut album, you can imagine the impressively bearded performer stepping in. There are big choruses here - the kind of thing you’d naturally associate with Indie rock mainstays like Arcade Fire. And Godzisz’s background as the bassist in punk band Symposium shine through with riff bluster and gravely vocals on more than one occasion.
Debut single 'The Moon and The Yew Tree' would go down a treat at Glastonbury, let alone folk-friendly venues like Nottingham’s The Maze (where he’s playing next month). And the same goes for 'Ace of Pentacles' - ostensibly a punk rock song but with a saxophone.
But this is nothing if not an eclectic mix and there’s some outright folk rock on the album as well. 'Sinner’s Song' with its choral vocals and raindrop-like guitar work has an air of Simon and Garfunkel about it. And one listen to the eerie 'The Wild Earth' will have you feeling like you’re on Dartmoor at dusk. Atmospheric vocals, a bewildering number of instruments - but not when Godzisz is at his best.
The standout tunes on the debut are when the folk and rock elements are perfectly balanced. 'Sulis Minerva' is a massive, sorrowful mixture of violin and piano with pop guitars. And he’s saved the best for last with the 70s-heavy rock opening and soaring vocals of 'A Million Cold Black Fires'.
Overall there’s rarely a dull moment on the album. Only 'The Book of the Law' - plodding, by numbers Indie - stands out as poor. But you’re still left wishing for more consistency. If he can get it without straying too far from his Indie-rock roots the name Wojtek Godzisz will soon be mispronounced by fans all over the country.
Posted In Album Reviews, Oct 06 2009.
Words - Cris