Everyone knows that Martin Simpson is one of the greatest guitarists in the world, combining immaculate technique with a highly musical sensitivity and sensibility.
Martin Simpson’s last album was a breakthrough, establishing him as a songwriter of real character and understanding as well as a master musician, propelling him to a new level in his career. Always energetic, always resourceful and never content to stand still, Martin continues to grow as an artist – musician and composer – putting his all into each new project, with the result that True Stories is his best album yet.
True Stories is evenly divided between traditional songs and tunes (English and American) and Martin’s original compositions. It ranges from solo guitar instrumentals to full band arrangements featuring some of the finest musicians anywhere: Danny Thompson on bass, Radiohead’s drummer Philip Selway, B J Cole on pedal steel, fiddle from Bellowhead’s frontman, Jon Boden and accordion from Andy Cutting …. and many others.
★★★★ Observer Music Magazine
“A very classy set” ★★★★ The Guardian
“True Stories is awash with things to admire and love.” Guitar & Bass Magazine
“Martin Simpson returns with an album that confidently walks a tightrope over the gulf between tradition and contemporary songwriting – this is folk at its finest” Sunday Mercury
“A very different animal to Prodigal Son, but in its own way, equally formidable. He sweeps from down’n’dirty to tender reflection in the blink of an eye” ★★★★ MOJO
“A guitar god in the US, Simpson has been blending folk and country blues for four decades. Danny Thompson and Radiohead’s Philip Selway are among his helpers on this tasty mix of trad and original material” ★★★ Q Magazine
“Featuring seven consummately crafted originals interspersed with six standards True Stories eclipses his 2007 masterpiece Prodigal Son in terms of execution and eclecticism” ★★★★★ The Australian
1 Look Up, Look Down
2 Sir Patrick Spens
3 Greystones
4 Home Again
5 The Wind & The Rain
6 One Day
7 Will Atkinson
8 Kielder Schottische
9 Lord Thomas & Fair Ellender
10 Done It Again
11 An Englishman Abroad
12 Swooping Molly
13 Stagolee
Martin Simpson acoustic, electric, slide, baritone guitar, dobro, percussion, 5 string banjo, banjola & vocals
with
Philip Selway drums & percussion
Keith Angel drums, percussion
Danny Thompson bass
Andy Seward bass
Andy Cutting accordion
B J Cole pedal steel
Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh vocals
Kellie While vocals
Nigel Eaton hurdy gurdy
Jon Boden fiddle
Available now from:
TOPIC SHOP, AMAZON, ITUNES and on SPOTIFY