Jim Moray - Gallants

The announcement of a new Jim Moray album is always an tantalising prospect, not least because it’s hard to know exactly what it’ll sound like. Having pioneered the use of the studio-as-instrument in English traditional music, his eight solo albums plus two with False Lights have taken a journey through maximalist folk rock, chamber pop and more recently straight up acoustic arrangements for guitar and fiddle.

Latest release Gallants has recognisable elements from across the different Moray eras, but with enough fresh tones that it never sounds as if he’s simply treading old ground, and avoids simple “folk-plus-x” pastiches.

There’s a big and bold version of When I Was a Little Boy, which combines a swaggering drum beat, an angular sax line and menacing brass with synthesiser to create a dark and brooding underbelly. The horn players also star on a triumphant version of Spencer the Rover, the slight strains of dissonance mirroring the traveller’s search for home.

But in common with the rest of Gallants, both tracks still leave plenty of room to breathe around the source material, the theme of the album one of subtle embellishments that complement Moray’s singing and guitar playing rather than compete with it.

The Nightingale is a compelling song in its own right, but is all the better for the shimmering mellotron, electric guitar and vocals. Similarly well-crafted but unshowy string writing lends extra emotional depth to murder ballad Omie Wise. Handled sensitively rather than salaciously, the 19th century song from Appalachia features a freshly-penned final verse reminding listeners that accounts of violence against women remain all too relevant.

The most down the line acoustic arrangement is the self-penned title track, an intriguing parable on mortality with lyrics and a stately tune which sounds wise beyond the song’s years. And on an album full of slow-moving yet potent numbers, arguably the two best are saved until last, as Train on The Island and Fortune Turns The Wheel bring things to a close.

With the benefit of a quarter century and counting of honing his craft as a musician and arranger, Gallants finds Moray fully matured and relaxed in his own artistic voice. Possibly the most complete album yet in one of the most distinguished and exciting back catalogues in 21st century English folk.