Edd Donovan & The Wandering Moles – Guardians Of Our Time
Independent – 19 November 2019
Gimmicks are arguably best avoided if you’re an up and coming artist of high calibre. Did anyone ever really take The Singing Postman that seriously in the sixties? He may well have been an accomplished tunesmith, but I confess to never having investigated further than a couple of listens to ‘Hev Yew Gotta Loight Boy’. And that, I fear, is down to the gimmickry of his act (although he was actually a postman to be fair). Anyway, I’d posit that when Edd Donovan put out his debut album in 2014 critics did him no favours in labelling him ‘The Singing Social Worker’ (again factually correct, in fact, he still works in Mental Health). That album, ‘Something To Take The Edge Off’, introduced an artist whose work was worth so much more than cheap, headline-grabbing names. Folky at its core, the songs were heartfelt, warm, spiritual and clearly the product of a classy writer. It was like the essence of Cat Stevens was bottled in the 1970s and sent out to sea, washing up years later at Edds shore.
From the off, Edd Donovan seemed engagingly un-corrupted by the predictable, blander ticks that have seeped into mainstream pop composition. ‘Call Me Old Fashioned’ he dared the listener on one track, ignoring that his quality is clearly not dependent on adhering to rules of a bygone age. He has a forward-thinking vision and is essentially a craftsman working with integrity; his attention to detail harvests musicianship, dramatic structures, delightful melodies and lyrics overflowing with real-life experience and awareness of the human condition.
Progressing onto his second in 2016, ‘Making Mountains Vol.1’, Edd wrote for a full band sound and displayed no inhibitions at this extended tool kit. Earning increased attention, tracks were played on national radio while support slots for people like Ralph McTell and Boo Hewerdine, amongst many others, put the right kind audiences in front of him. Those lucky people witnessed an act who currently does not have the stature his awesome talent deserves. That can change, the best music always tends to rise above the surface eventually, but there’s no accounting for how long it can take. I’d say grab an opportunity to get onto this singer now, still in those exciting early years. Album number three is arriving and you never know, if it reaches enough ears and minds, things could take off for Edd very quickly. ‘Guardians Of Our Time’ is an essential folk and contemporary songwriter album for the modern world.
It’s rather appropriate how the opening song ‘When The Day Begins’ talks about “something magical, something invisible” because that’s what I’m trying to nail down in describing the whole effect. It certainly feels like a beginning, a gentle awakening. The music plays like a sunrise over a lake, with the dawn choir of birdsong evoking the sounds of nature and the open air. But its nowhere near as one dimensional as that. There are spirits all around and a sense of bedazzlement, an openness to the unknown. Sonically this is very much what we are hearing; initially, all is serene and quite spaced out. Edd’s voice sounds like he’s sat deep in a forest, his vocals resonating up through the tall trees. Then a jarring shift in tempo ushers in jazzily tapped piano keys; has a whole different song begun? If that was a middle eight, then it’s one of the boldest I’ve ever heard. Still, it sets the scene for the patina of the entire record; music that bursts its seams with ideas and turns its nose up at expectations. Lyrically the focus is on nature; climate and our place as humans within this environment we’re taking such poor care of. That’s merely a starting point though; this kaleidoscope also looks at political paralysis, old age, dementia and rebirth.
The sound of those birds at the start dovetail nicely with the seemingly ever-present feathered colony throughout. We’re in an aviary; sparrows and ravens perch on your shoulder and sing in your ear. ‘Bowerbird (Where The Light Gets In)’ is a re-working of a tune Edd has called his “favourite song from my last album”. The essence of the track is recognisable from the earlier release but here the production is less ethereal, far more up close and personal. It also sounds less rushed when offered up in direct comparison to the earlier version, as if the writer really needs you to feel these words and savour how the melody lines fly freely in many bold, fantastical directions. The striking cover art paints along these natural environs as well, with images created by Brooklyn based artist Gigi Chen for whom birds are a regular subject matter.
The title track is purposefully rousing, a reaching out to a younger generation to grasp the reigns in taking better care of the planet. “Young hearts, young minds, bring the revolution to life” sings Edd, displaying almost naive levels of faith in the new wave of youngsters. But then he’s right, if the next lot over the hill don’t improve things we are going to be in catastrophic trouble. Despite these heavy-duty concerns the mode and production on this one has a light and innocent quality about it. To my ears, the organ is playing a seaside waltz; charming it is too!
Playfulness abounds across the entire record. “Why can’t I be like a butterfly?” our singer asks on ‘Butterfly’, a meditation on re-incarnation that embraces Edd’s love of diverse song topics. Ever hungry to locate the right audio environment for a tune, this one even opens the door marked ‘freak folk’. Suddenly it’s all Incredible String Band whooping and 1969 Bowie descending countdowns. The weird-o-meter flickers into life and again there’s a magical presence in the air, light bursting through the trees and the low hum of vibrant nature shimmering all around. Putting on this album is like stepping into the wonderful world inside Edd Donovan’s head; that he captures this on tape is some achievement. It’s a rare gift that an artist can build their own distinct, recognisable sonic environment. M Ward is perhaps someone who Edd has emulated in this respect, but he has a popularists ear too, I occasionally call Jake Bugg to mind. I mention these comparisons purely as high praise.
‘Folk Man Blues’, focusing its attention on death, is a simultaneously devastating and spiritually uplifting hymn. Like a transmission straight from heaven, the angelic voices that float in halfway through are Emma Parker and Martha Donovan whose harmonies are delightfully sprinkled throughout. The other members of the Wandering Moles featured this time around are Paul Arthurs on drums and bass alongside some, fantastically vibrant, cameos by Chris Cundy on bass clarinet. Collectively they all blend into Edd’s colourful world, kneading, nurturing and feeding songs that sound vital.
I believe you can always hear the difference between music that had to be written and that which is written to order. Edd Donovan’s work belongs firmly in the former, these songs have solid foundations and were simply waiting for someone with a visionary radar to bring them into the world. So, for the time being, the man remains a social worker. However, creating music is indisputably in his blood, it’s his true calling. I sincerely hope there comes a day when he can dedicate all his time to developing his craft. This album is one more giant step towards that day; ‘Guardians Of Our Time’ is a modern-day folk song for people with a taste for beauty, adventure, nature and wonder. His best album yet.
Order Guardians of Our Time via Bandcamp: https://edddonovanandthewanderingmoles1.bandcamp.com/
Upcoming Dates
1 December – Green Note, London
11 January – Chapel Arts Centre, Bath