Jim Moray – Skulk
Given the press Jim has picked up over the past 10 years or so, you would expect his albums to be full of outrageous arrangements or weird collaborations, but the truth is that although he does have an eye for the ambitious and the spectacular, he’s a folk musician with a healthy interest in a wide range of musical styles, and he occasionally brings these to his albums.
So here, notwithstanding, the relentless banjo driven cover of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Big Love’, and a reading of ‘If It’s True’ from Anais Mitchell’s ‘Hadestown’, you get a beautifully considered, arranged and performed set of English folk songs that any traditional singer and performer would be proud to put their name to. By mixing the traditional pieces with more contemporary songs, you could argue that he’s either exposing traditionalists to new material, or contemporary music fans to traditional material and either could be true; but you get the feeling he does it because he loves all the material and is comfortable presenting them together….whatever the truth is, it works and as a listener it’s always great to be presented with a surprising range of songs.
The whole album is centred around a seven minute reading of ‘Lord Douglas’, his song is based on many variants of Child Ballad #7 but is very much his own composition; it’s an epic tale, and with its effortless melody and brilliant guitar work, plus subtle accompaniment from Jackie Oates, Andy Cutting and BJ Cole it’s a genuine show-stopper, and it shines as one of the finest folk songs in recent memory.
There are a couple of equally strong songs inspired by Nic Jones’ back catalogue in ‘The Golden Glove’ and ‘Courting is a Pleasure’ that are distinctly presented by Jim; and the album is rounded off by ‘Seven Long Years’ a song and arrangement that is obviously destined to become a rousing live favourite.
‘Skulk’ is a carefully conceived, constructed and presented album; it’s easy to see the detail and attention that has gone into the arrangements as the album feels sure-footed at every step; it’s beautifully delivered and timeless folk music, that is easily Jim’s strongest and most complete album and destined to become a modern classic.
