Waterbound

The Norwich-based folk trio of Christina Alden, Alex Patterson and Noel Dashwood have been determinedly ‘homespun’ on their previous two collections, Call Me Home and By the Night, not only writing and producing them at home in Norfolk but also housing the self-released discs in covers designed and hand-printed by the band. Their third outing, self-funded through playing over two hundred shows in five countries over the last couple of years, is also presented in a beautiful handmade printed card case, each stamped and designed by the band. With the avowed intention of making an album that went some way towards representing their entrancing live performances, it was recorded live in the studio and mixed in just ten hours on a wintry day last December.

All nine tracks were played only twice and with just one exception the first take has been the keeper. That's a pretty convincing measure of their confidence, but it's justified by an album that, although a little on the brief side, in every other way really delivers on their early promise, drawing from a rich well of English folk traditions and American old-time music to cra. something sparklingly fresh and contemporary-sounding.