One thing that you can always guarantee with a record from Milton Hide, one of the UK south's most popular folk duos, is a fun listen. No one song being anything like another, it's like there's bound to be something for everyone - from the very much folky vibe of 'Simon's Nick' to the more rocky feel of 'Bungaroosh' and several different feels in between. Having the diversity of both a female and male vocal, each song takes on its own identity, with the more sombre subjects being tackled by Jo - 'Small boats' and 'Quicksand calling' tugging at the heart strings - while Jimbo takes on the more satirical elements. For what is a decent folk album without an element of satire and mockery of those who are swayed by the opinions of the Daily Fail?!
One of the things I love about this album is that on each listen, I can hear all the different instruments with clarity. Milton Hide worked with a number of other instrumentalists to build the vibe of each track and what the listener experiences is nothing short of a live performance directly into their ears. If I close my eyes I almost feel like I'm sitting in a cosy rehearsal room, surrounded by people playing and singing around me.
This album, while containing some upbeat songs that get your feet tapping, really at its core explores some of the more challenging themes that we face as a society - people. Described as 'a metaphor for people and places in this world that hide their true nature behind a classy facade', Bungaroosh is a fun, beautiful and emotional way to process such themes.
Hear 'Simon's Nick' and others like it on our folk songs playlist: