Heavy Wood

Djukella is an insult, common in the Balkans, meaning mongrel. Hellard and his band have reclaimed it aptly: their music comes from many sources, and has the winning scruffiness and verve of those tenacious mutts.

Heavy Wood starts with ‘The Lord Giveth (and the Landlord Taketh Away)’, which protests with wit and eschews preachiness – a rare thing in a political song. This is followed by ‘A Taoist's Tale’, which questions how we view events while avoiding whimsy. ‘Pass it Along’ explores the ideal of custodianship in preference to ownership; a guitar will, or should, be passed onto another musician, so must be cared for – not unlike the planet. It is heartening to hear such thoughtful yet deeply felt songs, given the times we live in now. To hear them so well sung, so adroitly arranged and brilliantly performed – all leaping fiddles, loping double bass, careering pipes and squeezebox – is a joy.

As well as songs of contemporary engagement, such as ‘Borders’ and ‘We Have the Time’ (in which an Afghan observes that the Western soldiers have watches, but his people have something more fundamental – time) there are wonderful tunes, and excellent renditions of two great traditional songs, ‘She Moved Through the Fair’ and ‘Bonny Bunch of Roses’.