Two years ago I set myself the task of finishing off a number of tracks which had been hanging around for some time. Here are the resulting two albums. Sheltermore is pretty folky (after the folk-rock of the first track), while Shining is much more layered, instrumental and personal.
They would be the last pieces of music on which I played my guitars, mandolins and fiddles. I needed to clear the decks so that I could get on with making new music without relying on my strings.
Both have cover art featuring pictures by Samuel Palmer.I can’t explain why I’m attracted to his work, but it resonates with me intensely. From 1826 to 1835 he painted a series of landscapes around Shoreham, in Kent, which is a mere ten miles up the Darenth Valley from Wilmington, where I lived until the age of six. Palmer depicted the area as a demi-paradise, mysterious and visionary, often shown in sepia shades under moon and star light.
The picture used for Sheltermore is called Early Morning, and the illustration for Shining is A Cornfield by Moonlight with the Evening Star. Shoreham and Wilmington are now both within sound of the M25. Where now the Heart of England?
More details of both albums on my Bandcamp page.
