Seth’s new album, (the follow up to 2006’s critically acclaimed, gold selling ‘Freedom Fields’), perfectly captures the raw, rhythmic energy of his live shows. Produced in large part by Seth’s brother and fellow band member, Sean Lakeman, ‘Poor Man’s Heaven’ represents a progression for Seth’s sound – while remaining firmly rooted in folk, it moves from a more acoustic-based feel to a fuller, rockier sound, underpinned as ever by emotive lyrics and story telling, this time with a strong coastal theme. Having taken the leap of signing to a major label off the back of his first two self-financed albums (‘Kitty Jay’ and 2002’s ‘The Punch Bowl’) Seth’s 3rd album ‘Freedom Fields’ sold over 100,000 copies following its release in 2006. Since then Lakeman (branded the ‘Poster Boy of Folk’ - much to his exasperation!), has toured constantly, performing to a heaving mass of 15,000 in the ‘New Band Tent’ at last year’s V Festival as well as on two stages at Glastonbury, and has made significant in-roads internationally, especially in Eastern Europe. On ‘Poor Man’s Heaven’ he continues inexorably to take his own brand of “indie-folk” to a whole new generation. Seth also continues to develop the lyrical themes from the traditional West Country inspired story telling of his previous work. The often historical contexts are bought sharply up to date when pivotal track, ‘Solomon Browne’, recounts the real-life story of the ill-fated Penlee RNLI lifeboat which perished in 1981 while trying to salvage a shipwrecked Union Star coaster. 16 people died in the failed rescue, and Lakeman’s dramatic and powerful take on that night’s fateful events, written in the hope of honouring those men and keeping the story alive, is a modern take on the truest tradition of folk music. A limited edition 7” single ‘The Hurlers’ b/w “Sound Of A Drum” was released on the same day as the album, ‘Poor Man’s Heaven’. |. |
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