Fans of Leveret and The Gloaming will lap up this exceptional debut album from Grace Smith Trio. Forged after a long creative period working together, it’s a captivating instrumental tour-de-force from three outstanding young musicians.
You may know Grace Smith as a fiddle and viola player with Katie Doherty and the Navigators or performing with the French-inspired dance band, Cri du Canard. She’s joined up with multi-instrumentalist Sam Partridge (here on concertina and electric guitar) and Bevan Morris (double bass), and the results are striking.
Instrumental albums are tricky to perfect. Too mellow, and they become background music, too frenetic, and they are hard to love. On Overleaf, they have got the balance right. It commands attention at times, and washes over you at others, but it’s always a rewarding listen.
It features two traditional tracks, seven new compositions (all by Grace, and a co-credit with Stewart Hardy), and one is a bit of both. What the trio skillfully manage is to bring the traditional songs up-to-date and make the new songs sound part of the tradition.
The album kicks off with one of Grace’s tunes, Miss Cole’s, named after a singer from Whitby. Gently easing you into the album, it builds, rises and falls with finesse – a perfect introduction to what is to come. Grace’s viola flies and sings, matched and complemented by Sam’s sprightly concertina and Bevan’s bowed bass. The repeated refrain never tires, thanks to the expert arrangement and skilful playing (both of which feature throughout).
The Dale/Mr Vanbrugh’s Maggot is more mellow and expansive, while Quadrille – the first traditional track – swirls, swoops and excites, bringing an old tune into vibrant new life. Sam’s refined electric guitar takes the lead on Feather Waltz until the plucked double bass builds up the pace. Cobbler’s Jig/Threedling is a minimalistic delight before the dramatic Three Sheepskins/Jenny Nettles, which sounds like it’s from a film soundtrack; it’s so evocative and theatrical.
Yorkshire Wedding changes the pace, it’s a joyful and uplifting tune befitting its origins as a composition for the wedding of two friends. Leo continues the uplifting interlude, similarly written for a friend’s birthday. I’d happily be friends with Grace Smith if the gift of fine music is what you get in return.
The penultimate track, Corners, is strident, the simple tune building to an elegant climax, with many a delightful detour in between, including a section redolent of chamber music. The closing medley, Saison/Overleaf, is more experimental, with sparse electric guitar from Sam and a bass interlude from Bevan and is a definite highlight to end this exceptional collection.
Overleaf is a confident and challenging debut album, managing to take British folk down exciting and unexpected new paths. If you’re looking for the exciting future of instrumental folk music, you need search no further.
Upcoming Grace Smith Trio Dates
19th October – Live To Your Living Room (Online)
20th October – Aces and Eights, London (Doubleheader with Archie Churchill-Moss)
22nd October – The Folklore Rooms, Brighton (Doubleheader with Archie Churchill-Moss)
23rd October – The Prince Albert, Stroud
24th October – Band on the Wall, Manchester
26th October – Cafe #9, Sheffield
All tickets at www.gracesmithtrio.com/live
Order Overleaf via Bandcamp: https://gracesmithtrio.bandcamp.com/album/overleaf