Best known for their work with Sam Sweeney and Cosmo Sheldrake, London-based folk duo Owen Spafford (fiddle) & Louis Campbell (guitar) announce their debut album ‘You, Golden’, set for release on 4th November 2022 (pre-order via Bandcamp). To celebrate, we have the pleasure of sharing a video of them performing their album opener Adson’s, live.
When I first heard the album, I was impressed by the remarkable authenticity and the progressiveness of their playing. There is an integrity to some music that comes from the connection a musician forges with their audience, and, for me, Owen Spafford and Louis Campbell take this to another level. From the opening of Adson’s, with Campbell’s single notes punctuating each bow stroke, they set a tranquil backdrop that draws you in. They are remarkably inventive in their approach, and even on the Playford-inspired tune, the magic of that personal touch is more than evident. They display a mastery and vision that, for a debut, is truly remarkable.
They tell us:
‘Adson’s’ is built around two tunes. The first is called ‘Chapel Lane’ and was written by Owen about walking through the suburbs of Leeds to the train station on his way to school as a teenager. The second takes inspiration from ‘Adson’s Saraband’, the first tune in the Playford manuscript of English country dance tunes. Louis edited the tune, turning it into a soft jig and adding a B part, completely changing its mood. This is a live, one-shot, one-take video filmed at the Cowshed in Marsden – an incredible community art space and permaculture farm run by our friends, the Smith family. The studio recording of ‘Adson’s’ will be available on 2nd September on all major streaming platforms.
Adson’s is released as a single this Friday. Pre-Save here: https://adsonss.lnk.to/PVYt6U
Pre-Save You, Golden here https://spaffordcampbell.lnk.to/yz7jpy
Pre-Order You’Golden (CD/Digital) via Bandcamp: https://spaffordcampbell.bandcamp.com/releases
To them, authentic folk music is music that organically reflects a persons background …
Authenticity is a term that flows through this album. Even in the way it was recorded. Their album press shares that during the album’s recording, there was no separation, overdubs or even headphones, and it was captured using a make-shift set up in a converted barn in Oxfordshire. In terms of influence, there was an active effort to authentically express their varied musical backgrounds, not hiding for the sake of ‘trad. authenticity’, Spafford’s interest in contemporary classical, Irish and old time music or Campbell’s background in post-rock, alternative and bluegrass music. The result is a raw, dynamic and very musical record, highlighting the subtlety and intimacy of their playing over flashy virtuosity, a rare quality in young, conservatoire-trained instrumentalists. Spafford and Campbell share an openness to progression and individualism in the genre, with a shared scepticism towards the fabricated ‘rules’ of the tradition developed in the folk clubs of the 60s and 70s. To them, authentic folk music is music that organically reflects a person’s background and so their love of The Gloaming, Lau, Nic Jones and Andy Cutting is expressed to the listener right alongside their love of Arooj Aftab, Big Thief, Bill Frisell and Sigur Ros.
The self-produced album was engineered by Joe Garcia, known for his with work with artists ranging from Blowzabella to IDLES.
We look forward to sharing more on this stunning debut soon.
https://www.spaffordcampbell.com/
Follow them:
@owenandlouis – Twitter
@spaffordcampbell – Facebook
@spaffordcampbell – Instagram