The lovely Alasdair Roberts, one time Appendix Outer and now trad/contemporary folk blurrer extraordinaire, has a sweet new EP out on the hallowed Drag City. 'Wyrd Memes' is a most worthy companion to 'Spoils', being 4 essential fresh tracks, featuring mostly his tender, searching auld poetry, earthy K Yairi guitar, brief bursts of marching percussion & a discreet dusting of drifting atmospherics/fluttering electronics from his Yamaha synth. Other players quietly flesh out these heartfelt paeans to days gone by, but this man possesses such a strong presence, you're hardly gonna notice when your wrapped up in his magic. Tinged with a strange mysticism and an otherworldliness that is most sensual, Alasdair cements his reputation as one of modern folks most precious talents, here in the most devourable form, the classic 4 tracker. Hurrah!
Love this record? Hate it? Tell us.
Sound clips for The Wyrd Meme by Alasdair Roberts: on CD single at Norman Records UK. CD single, Drag City, DC394CD, £5.69.
· ‘The Wyrd Meme’ is a mini album from Alasdair Roberts, following his ‘Spoils’ album released earlier this year. · At the time of ‘Spoils’, the press was inclined to toss around Alasdair’s musical vision of syncretism quite liberally. Of late, Alasdair has taken to stitching his lyrics together from a diversity of threads, weaving from line to line with myths and legends, verse and slang and old and new, bringing different schools together and wedding it all to his razor-sharp guitar and singing. · ‘The Wyrd Meme’ features Tom Crossley, Allison McGillvray, David McGuinness, Gordon Ferries and Alex Neilson.