Turn to Fray

This debut from the Brighton duo of Laura Ward and Adam Ronchetti is the latest release from the prolific Sussex folk scene in the UK. It is a brave and assured debut, taking as it does the overarching theme of troubled lives and being in many ways an exploration of mental health through the ages.

Both musicians have jobs working with vulnerable people – Ronchetti teaches young adults with learning difficulties, Ward works with women and children in families dealing with substance misuse – and their sensitivity to everyday struggles and suffering permeates the album. Ward's focus on women is especially evident in two historical portraits – ‘Rosemary’ and ‘Zelda’ – about poets Rosemary Tonks and Zelda Fitzgerald, both of whom suffered with mental health issues.

Such heavy subject matter is treated with a musical lightness of touch, from Ward's flute lines to Ronchetti's spare strings and subtle percussion. Guest musicians bring added breadth to the sound with piano, cello, slide guitar and backing vocals, among other instruments. But it is Ward's vocals that are the key. From the beginning, her voice – on both trad and self-penned numbers – is the central grounding element. It is clear, direct and honest in the long folk tradition.