DRIFT NIGHT 3 - WEST HILL COMMUNITY HALL, BRIGHTON 10/12/06

A blustery and stormy December night, tucked away in the backstreets of Brighton in a small community hall ? that's where they'll be found tonight - the Drift Collective. For around a year now the independent Brighton / Devon based folk label Drift has been quietly going about its business - in the process releasing a number of elegantly produced and magical records. Infact Radio 1's Huw Stephens liked them so much he made them his DIY label of the week. A quiet revolution perhaps? Quite possibly. This evening though sees Drift Night 3 - a showcase of four of the labels bands / artists.

Firstly we're treated to a welcoming solo set from Willis, tonight playing without the backing of his band The Tandy Hard. Not that this matters in the slightest though, as with or without a band, Willis' songs stand up brilliantly however they're played. Combining the rich and personal influences of Dylan and more recently Richard Hawley and Will Oldham, his songs are warm, intimate folkish tales that capture the contrasting emotions of love and life with brilliant lyrical effect. The stunning 'War Song', 'Desperate Measures' and 'Shrinking From View' being just a few highlights of an impressive bunch.

Next up is the lonesome figure of Birdengine, who proceeds to astound us with his haunting finger picked guitar folk tales, drawing you into his own strange and eerie world. Taking American alt folk duo A Hawk And A Hacksaw as a starting point, then stripping it down to something sparse, minimal, but none the less enchanting. With songs such as 'Alone With The Beast Folk' and 'You Gave Birth To A Horse' it all comes together perfectly ? seemingly placid on the surface but with a distinctly dark undercurrent. Birdengine is crafting his very own sound.

After a breather its back to the action, this time it being the turn of one half of the Drift label team RG Morrison - with a set of bleak yet positively uplifting acoustic tunes, the majority of which are taken from his debut record 'Learning About Loathing'. With Morrisons soft yet pained vocals, and some delicate guitar work, the effect is not dissimilar to that of Nick Drake, with highlights being the tender 'Ruder Me' and 'Summer Bride - before an inspired set-closing rendition of the Joy Division classic 'Love Will Tear Us Apart'. Magic.

Finally its over to Thirty Pounds Of Bone to finish the evening - playing tonight as a full 4 piece band, led as always by singer and multi instrumentalist Johny Lamb. Their take on the traditional folk sound is both challenging and inspiring - combining guitars, bass, harmonium, and bozouki to create their elegantly crafted, and somewhat world weary songs. From the hushed and delicate 'The Homesick Children Of Migrant Mothers', to the sprawling harmonies of 'Waves For Ketches' via a short upbeat Pogues influenced jig 'Drinking With McGee - the Bones set is an atmospheric and personal journey that never fails to be captivating.

And so ends the evening, safe in the knowledge that its all looking very bright indeed in the world of the Drift Collective. With records forthcoming in 2007 from Willis, Birdengine, Matt Eaton and Cottonmouth as well as a host of new faces ready to join the label, its shaping up to be a good year for the people at Drift - and never a better time for you to go and discover some inspiring new independent music. Spot on

Ian Chambers, Jan '07

http://www.driftrecords.co.uk/
http://www.myspace.com/driftwillis
http://www.myspace.com/birdengine
http://www.myspace.com/thirtypoundsofbone