The Coach House Company - Maiden Tales

Maiden Tales is the second EP from five-piece band, The Coach House Company. With a combination of double bass, violin, mandolin, guitar, cello and trumpet and fine vocals, they produce a great depth of sound. The title of the EP is rather ironic, as many of the maids mentioned are far from innocent!

The EP begins energetically with The Whitby Maid, with the vocals swapping between male and female as appropriate to the story. This track demonstrates what a full sound the band can produce.

The band’s rendition of the well-known ballad Barbara Allen is in sharp contrast to the opening track. It is introduced by unaccompanied solo voice and the song is interspersed with poignant instrumental interludes from low strings and trumpet. This talent for poignancy is also heard in The Maid of Culmore.

Showcasing their instrumental skills, Wild Ladies of Redhill is a nice fusion of traditional strings and jazz trumpet.

The EP ends with the very catchy Gardens, where rich unaccompanied vocal harmonies are gradually built up before the instruments join in, returning to that full, rich sound first heard in the opening track.

The Coach House Company have produced an excellent second EP, proving that it is high time for a full-length album.