Tyde

Tyde are a young and dynamic trio from Hexham: Seth Tinsley on guitar and vocals; Heather Gessey on fiddle and vocals; and Andrew Waite on piano accordion. Playing tunes and songs from across the British Isles but with an obvious northern slant, they were finalists in the 2008 BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards, and have built a reputation for slick musicianship coupled with a warm and lively stage show. Tyde, their eponymous debut release, confirms their place as rising stars in the folk firmament.

The album opens with the gentle ‘Chairdance’, a quick feint before two thrusting tunes, ‘The Gale’ and ‘Skipping Over the Bogs’, score palpable hits and set a relentless pace that rarely drops. Two beautiful guitar tunes segued as ‘The Falls’, provide welcome respite from the rushing tune-sets, but only two songs are included on the album. As Heather Gessey has just the kind of voice to make grown men weep into their beards, this seems a waste of what appears to be a natural talent. Throughout, the playing is characterised by a laidback sense of funk, crisp ornamentation and giddy rhythm changes, all of which have earned Tyde rightful comparisons with Lau, even if they lack the latter’s grit. Having clearly mastered technique, they should perhaps concentrate on bringing more of their own lives to their music, for it’s when folk music sounds steeped in experience that it best communicates the joys and sorrows of life. Accomplish that and Tyde will truly be a force to be reckoned with.