Show Of Hands – Battlefield Dance Floor
Proper Records – 27 September 2019
At the centre of Show Of Hands, there has always been the push and pull of songwriter Steve Knightley and multi-instrumentalist Phil Beer. Where Steve is a focused and rather the under-valued serious craftsman, composing work that addresses both matters of current national attention (there’s a fine song written in the aftermath of the Brexit vote on here) and human affairs, Phil dependably sugars the offerings with decorative musicianship and a far more amiable disposition. Over the decades they have doggedly ploughed a traditional folk furrow almost to a fault, for while they are certainly at the top of the tree within their scene (you don’t sell out the Albert Hall five times through luck) wider recognition has eluded them. Unjustly so it has to be said, for if nurturing one’s craft is a crime then Knightley is guilty as charged and why on earth shouldn’t that endeavour be enough in itself? Nevertheless, it’s a thrill to report that with ‘Battlefield Dance Floor’, this band are finally starting to flex their muscles and bang down the doors of the record-buying public. Now a four-piece outfit, the new look Show Of Hands will be touring this winter, and it will be with one of the most cohesive, diverse and persuasive sets of their entire career.
The expanded band membership is not all new; Miranda Sykes may have been on sabbatical, but I recall first seeing her in this line up around 14 years ago when mature double bass and softer vocal contributions seemed like a superb addition to the overall flavouring. In addition to that, we also have Cormac Byrne on a variety of percussion duties; fans should remember the zest his varied input lends proceedings from the band’s tour of the UK last autumn. Well, the effect is equally as enlightening on records, it’s truly amazing how much of a meaty punch Cormac’s rhythmic thrust brings to the overall sound. Rolling Stones collaborator Matt Clifford is also on board with appropriate keyboard accompaniment, and Knightley has co-produced alongside the esteemed Mark Tucker. In fact, from the outset, there’s a spirit of adventure that tramples on the box Show Of Hands used to confine themselves to. For example, twenty years ago, Steve and Phil would demonstrate how U2’s The Edge utilises an echo effect bestowing a level of deception on audiences as to how many speedy notes he was actually playing. And yet, here on opening track ‘Lost’ Steve is upfront with a similar, Edge-like, resonance on his own mandocello that cleverly evokes the rolling waves and never-ending expanses of open seas in a tale of fading hope and desperation. Musically and lyrically, this is a powerful opener.
The spirit of musical exploration stands tall and proud on the title track. A spirited snapshot on drunken revelry the night before battles in major historical conflicts; the triumph is in how the sound vividly paints a picture of the scene depicted in the lyrics. In the sleeve notes Steve categorises the track as “Bhangra meets Morris” which sounds a brave move on paper but sits together incredibly well on record. Show Of Hands credentials in World Music are perhaps a little underplayed, yet they have been working with Johnny Kalsi’s ‘Dhol Foundation’ in recent years, and there’s a co-write here between Knightley and Kalsi created after the 2016 EU referendum. ‘Mother Tongue’ features Asian vocal flourishes by Shadid Khan and a real colourful, widescreen splash of eastern sounds blending with English tradition. It’s faultless in execution on a track in which it is crystal clear why a world music legend like Peter Gabriel has been quoted making strongly approving remarks about Show Of Hands and Knightley’s writing in particular.
That mainstream ubiquity has not been bestowed upon Knightley is simply baffling when you listen to songs like ‘You’ll Get By’ and album closer ‘No Secrets’. He has a happy knack of being able to write tunes that are easy on the ear, with familiar yet original verse/chorus progressions all Radio 2 playlist primed and ready-to-go. He can pen a lyric delivering a clear, unambiguous message without wasting a single word. Essentially, he is a consummate popular song writer. Purveyors of such a craft do have a right to expect some acclaim for their achievements. Put works like these in the hands of a household name backed with industry clout and promotion, and they are hit songs. Still, the encouraging thing about this album is that it has enough going on sonically not to be fenced into one genre. If Show Of Hands ever created a potential break out album, this is surely the one.
Later, ‘Dreckley’ brings a choppy intro on Steve’s mandocello, it’s a familiar rhythm in an unusual setting which Steve is accurately labelling “Cornish Reggae”. Here the writer allows a more playful side to seep through as the song looks at a relationship challenged by issues such as home counties against west country scone preferences; sample lyric “how can a boy compete when you looked me in the eye and said darlin’ I prefer jam first”. ‘Next Best Western’ adds to the general air of collaboration with Phil taking on the lead vocal, thus injecting it with character and warmth. The way the band are passing around the spotlight these days serves the specific needs of each song very well. Miranda’s lead voice on ‘Make The Right Noises’ not only brings yet another sharp contrast to the feel of the song sequence but her hint of vulnerability is spot on in a lyric fearful of a bluntly spoken truth shattering the protagonists misconceived hopes and desires.
As well as the bountiful original material, there’s also an interesting cover of Leonard Cohen’s ‘First We Take Manhattan’; a tune which Knightley recalls enjoying on the Jennifer Warnes version. As witnessed across their repertoire, as a unit they can locate the dramatic tension in a lyric whilst extracting a folksiness far less evident on other versions. Phil Beer’s fiddle on this track takes it in surprising new directions as Steve manipulates the melody lines in a way that shines fresh light on a classic song. It’s one of many elements that combine to make ‘Battlefield Dance Floor’ one of the most consistently adventurous collections in the Show Of Hands catalogue. May the quartet merrily toast their achievement on this album, then vigorously play it out into the battlefield that is the UK’s live circuit. They will be touring arguably their most fully realised collection to date.
Pre-order here https://smarturl.it/bfielddancefloor
Now We Are Four Tour (with Miranda Sykes & Cormac Byrne)
Wed, Oct 30 – The Beehive, Honiton
Thu, Oct 31 – Royal Hall, Harrogate
Fri, Nov 1 – Cast, Doncaster
Sat, Nov 2 – Gala Theatre & Cinema, Durham
Thu, Nov 7 – Brangwyn Hall, Swansea
Fri, Nov 8 – The Forum, Bath
Sat, Nov 9 – Westlands Yeovil, Yeovil
Wed, Nov 13 – Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury
Thu, Nov 14 – Epic Studios, Norwich
Fri, Nov 15 – Dorking Halls, Dorking
Sat, Nov 16 – City Hall Salisbury, Salisbury
Wed, Nov 20 – New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth
Thu, Nov 21 – The Alban Arena, St Albans
Fri, Nov 22 – Union Chapel, London
Sat, Nov 23 – De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill On Sea
Wed, Nov 27 – Birmingham Town Hall, Birmingham
Thu, Nov 28 – Cheltenham Town Hall, Cheltenham
Fri, Nov 29 – The Engine Shed, Lincoln
Sat, Nov 30 – Leicester Haymarket Theatre, Leicester
Fri, Dec 6 – Exmouth Pavilion, Exmouth
Sat, Dec 7 – Exmouth Pavilion, Exmouth
Ticket links and more here: https://showofhands.co.uk