Review: Glamour In The Grey by The Magpie Arc.

A friend of mine who knows I like Folk-Rock music recently recommended a band to me that I hadn’t heard of before called The Magpie Arc. I’m always open to hearing something new so ordered their album called Glamour In The Grey. I have played it three times now and it has grown on me with every listen. It was recorded in Sheffield in 2022. The Magpie Arc are Nancy Kerr vocals and fiddle, Martin Simpson vocals and electric guitar, Alex Hunter bass, Findley Napier vocals and guitars, & Tom Wright vocals, drums, percussion and keyboards. I have heard of Nancy before, I think she used to live near here on a boat on the Kennett & Avon Canal. I have heard her previously singing songs by Leon Rosselson who wrote some of my favourite songs including World Turned Upside Down. I am also very familiar with the work of Martin Simpson. You may recall I reviewed his The Prodigal Son album some time ago. I must admit I hadn’t heard of the other three members before.

I have never heard Martin sounding like he does on this album though. I always thought of him as an acoustic guitarist and singer, but this album rocks. The opening song All I Planted is aptly named because when I heard the opening chords I thought it sounded like Led Zeppelin. Nancy co-wrote this song with Tom Wright, and she has a lovely folk-rock voice, a bit like Maddy Prior. There is a quite psychedelic interlude towards the end of the song. I have an album by an Irish band of the 1970s called Mellow Candle which I was also reminded of at times listening to this CD. Findley Napier wrote and sings the next track called Don’t Leave The Door Open. The blistering guitar intro could almost be a solo by The Edge in U2. Pans Of Biscuits is a traditional American Folk song with Martin on vocals. Hedy West and Kate Campbell have recorded it before, but this sounds like a folk-rock band of the 1970s. 

Wassail is one of three songs here that Nancy wrote with Alex Hunter. To my ears there are also echoes of Jacquie McShee in her voice. Tough As Teddy Gardner is another great song written and sung by Findley. The guitar riff could easily have been recorded by Deep Purple in about 1970. Teddy Gardner (1922-1977) was a British champion flyweight boxer. He also ran the Half Moon pub in Spennymoor. Long Gone is a much gentler song than most of the tracks, with almost CSN type harmonies. It features Adam Holmes on a handmade Fylde Beltar guitar. The Gay Goshawk is a traditional song about a bird that takes messages to a maiden, and she feigns death to be with her love. The relentless rhythm driving the song reminds me of Matty Groves by Fairport Convention. Jack Frost is a Mike Waterson song again with Martin on vocals. Nancy’s fiddle gives the song an eerie haunting quality (See video below). 

The Cutty Wren is another trad song, also known as The Hunting Of The Wren. Nancy’s fiddle playing is featured again. I Ain’t Going Nowhere was co-written by Findley with M.O. O’Connor and sung by him. It is a country-tinged ballad which brings this most enjoyable album to a close. I wish I had known about this group a few months ago because I found out only a few days ago that they played in Bradford On Avon in February and I would certainly have gone along to see them. I don’t know if they have plans for any more live dates because they have their own busy solo careers. Thank you to my mate Kevin for giving me the heads up on this multi-talented band.