Smokey Joe

FolkLaw are a folk-rock four piece from the Gloucester area of England – an easy-going part of the world. Their home turf is reflected in their third studio album, one that is bursting with a sense of the community and camaraderie that exists both within the band and with their audience on the folk-rock circuit.

When they first formed in 2010, there was an angrier, social-justice concern to their songs, which was reminiscent of the Levellers. That protest-folk vibe has not deserted them entirely, but this is a markedly mellower affair, reflecting musicians content with their lives, loves and the natural world around them, which features heavily in their lyrics.

A key component of the FolkLaw sound is Nick Gibbs’ fiddle, with the guitars and mandola of Bryn Williams and Martin Vogwell weaving around the violin lines. Gaz Hunt delivers percussion, but all four sing, adding to the feeling of a communal exercise and giving many songs a choral quality. The entirely self-penned album features live favourites such as ‘Waterways of England’ and the reworked ‘My Town’, while the closer ‘Cradle to the Grave’ sums up the integrity of the whole project.