Review: Bellowhead - Hedonism

Hedonism is bombastic, brash and very definitely Bellowhead, as bold as the brass that blusters throughout. The main danger for the big band, who first formed to headline the inaugural Oxford Folk Festival in 2004 and have gained an unparalleled live reputation, has always been that studio recordings cannot contain or convey that stage presence. Fortunately producer John Leckie captures their riotous ebullience, as he did for Rodrigo y Gabriela: Hedonism delivers trademark theatrics and sense of circus, at times gloriously unchecked but always tightly performed. Spiers, Boden and co. are an ensemble of talent, well ensconced in their respective roles and playing with a zing in their step.

Unsurprisingly the eleven-piece outfit incorporates a range of influences, from the traditional storytelling of Killen and Carthy to the exuberant funk of Kool and the Gang via vaudeville and jazz, offering a satisfying set of stylistically shifting songs. To the casual listener, however, more subtle variations are swallowed by swelling big band sound. Aside from the punkish Little Sally Racket, which swaps between frantic, Pogues-esque self-destructing revelry and barbershop lullaby, Hedonism is a honed record that, for the most part, doesn't depart from tested Bellowhead formulae. There are changes of texture and tempo, especially as the album kicks on through the second side - but with a troupe of masterful musicians producing rich, inventive arrangements I wish Hedonism could conjure another trick or two.

There are more sober recordings in amongst the romps and rumpuses, most notably a cover of Jacques Brel's Amsterdam, a brave rendition emphasising the decay and debauchery that infests Hedonism. Themed around lechery and conquest, ringmaster Boden's lusty lead vocals are central, though it is a pity not to hear more from Rachael McShane. Nevertheless this record packs a punch and Bellowhead in full swing are still an unbounded delight.