While the name Tarren will be new to you, the individuals that make up this new project will not be for those who regularly read these pages. Tarren is made up of Bristol-based artists Sid Goldsmith (Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith, Awake Arise), Alex Garden (The Drystones, Harriet Riley & Alex Garden) and Danny Pedler (Pedler // Russell). They combine cittern and concertina, fiddle, and accordion to create their music. You won’t forget the name after you watch them perform.
Described as an ambassador for high quality, English Folk music, this first offering, the English folk ballad Rigs of the Time, certainly lives up to and goes beyond expectations as you can see on the video below which was Filmed and Edited by Archie Thomas. It’s a fantastic opening showcase of what this trio are capable of. It’s one of my favourite ballads and has been recorded by many including my personal favourite Martin Carthy (who recently turned 80), Bellowhead, Peter Bellamy, Sandy Denny and most recently, Lunatraktors. The “rigs” refer to scams and tricks used to swindle people…it’s no surprise then that the song has had verses added over the years and it also featured (performed by Shirley Collins) on Topic Records’ Voice + Vision: Songs Of Resistance, Democracy + Peace, a co-operative project with the General Federation Of Trades Unions. In fact, you could say that a rig was the subject of the first song released on Topic Records – The Man That Waters Down The Workers Beer by Paddy Ryan. Sid and Danny shared their thoughts on Tarran and commented on the song’s relevance today:
From Sid – It’s always a joy to connect with new musicians whilst out and about on the gigging circuit. Some connections we seek out again and again, and wish for time to create something lasting with certain combinations of players. We’ve recently had that time and are grateful to be emerging from it with something new and fresh to share. This project kickstarted our creativity at a time when there was very little to remind us of our roles in society, as such it’s been a large part of our ongoing healing process and we hope that it can provide some solace and joy for others too. ‘Rigs of the Time’ is one of those traditional, formulaic songs that’s been revisited and updated many times. It speaks of the scams and swindles of the day and there always seem to be new subjects to write about.
From Danny – TARREN is creating music that is rooted in the now. It reflects who we are as musicians coming out of a national, yet deeply personal period of forced isolation. Therefore the relevance of the music to the modern day is clear: ‘Rigs of the Time’ for example is littered with lockdown references as we vent our frustrations at the familiar failings of the elite, albeit in an unprecedented context.
We deeply hope you enjoy the music we will be releasing together and we hope to see you out on the road again soon.
Tarren’s version of this song is particularly rousing and sounds very heartfelt in its angst and the musicianship is second to none. This is just the kind of band we need on the folk circuit today. Brilliant…I’m really looking forward to hearing more. It’s also our Song of the Day.
Find out more here (make sure to sign up to their mailing list so you don’t miss out): https://tarrenmusic.com/