Reviews

National Portrait Gallery - 22nd July 2005 reviewed by Diane Easby fRoots Forum

"You know that French dance tune Horses Branle? Well, you won't be able to dance to it the way Horses Brawl play it. They slow it way down to an air, the guitar is played with a double bass bow at capo 10, the cello serves as a percussion instrument and the fiddler swaps effortlessly into crumhorn and recorder parts. The band comprises three recent music performance graduates who do traditional, medieval and original music from all over Europe using contemporary sources and techniques on both modern and old instruments.

And such fun they have, whether it's nicking a tune from a 10-year-old Norfolk fiddling prodigy and arranging it in a bewildering series of variations or confounding everyone with a Bulgarian Chara that skips impishly from 9 to 7 time mid bar, they impress mightily with their seemingly effortless musical skill.

Cellist Jonathan Manton is also a percussionist so it seemed a really good idea to stick plates onto his instrument and bang them. He plays mainly pizzicato, both above and below the barre. And if you thought Chris Wood did odd things with his fiddle, Jonathan tops that, using one as a ukelele. Guitarist Adrian Lever (ex Acaysha) likes a high register which probably costs him a fortune in strings and capos. It is, however, a joy to hear him swapping and matching melodies with fiddler Laura Cannell who proved herself a fine composer. It's a very interesting path from formal dance music to semi-improvisation. I'm delighted to have discovered this band."

Quick quotes

"It's great stuff.....an early music group to keepan eye on"
BBC RADIO 3

"Foot-tapping folk rhythms and baroque ornamentation".
THE TELEGRAPH

"Highly experimental, technically wonderful....a fantastic and vibrant performance"
TRADITION Magazine

"Deeply entwined in the sound of medieval and traditional folk, Horses Brawl are giving a 21st century makeover to the dance music of the past"
BBC Norfolk

"Horses Brawl's music is vibrant, engaging and completely spellbinding.....I love it, one of the most exciting bands around"
Steafan Hannigan

"A fascinating progression from formal dance music to semi-improvisation that had the packed audience roaring for more"
fROOTs FORUM Album launch review