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Reviews

★★★★★

'Immaculate'

EFDSS Magazine

★★★★★

'Stunning'

Maverick Magazine

★★★★★

'An absolute joy'

The Morning Star

★★★★★

'Simply remarkable'

Folk & Tumble

★★★★

'The pair sing as one voice, in super-tight harmony'

The Guardian

★★★★

'Beautiful'

The Telegraph

★★★★

'Spellbinding'

Northern Sky Magazine

★★★★

'Exquisite'

R2 Magazine

★★★★

'Excellence in writing, performing & creativity'

Spiral Earth

Mark Radcliffe

'Like two halves of one voice'

Seth Lakeman

'A fantastic duo!'

Mike Harding

'A stellar performance'

Kate Rusby

'Absolutely amazing!'

THE HOUR OF THE BLACKBIRD ALBUM REVIEW

'Stirring and deeply emotive...Ninebarrow have ambitiously reshaped the past on a new record adorned with choral splendour'

Three Chords and the Truth

 

Dorset-based folk duo Ninebarrow have ambitiously reshaped the past on a new record adorned with choral splendour. Five albums across a dozen years kept Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere busy in the studio alongside countless other ventures and career advancing activities. The pair’s sixth album is somewhat of a greatest hits with a twist. THE HOUR OF THE BLACKBIRD not only enjoys the multiple talents of Jon and Jay but the voices of two choirs - Hampshire’s Hart Voices and Surrey’s Chantry Singers. The crux of the album is that thirteen previously recorded songs (a mix of originals, covers and traditional pieces) open in the conventional way of their original format before layers of choral voices are weaved in injecting a sense of grandeur - both stirring and deeply emotive. The result is an innovative aural massage breathing fresh life into well-rehearsed material. 

 

All bar one of the tracks appear on previous Ninebarrow albums, the odd one out being the title track ‘The Hour of the Blackbird’, which was a lockdown charity single. This was the template for the approach defying enforced distance by taking a bunch of remotely digitally recorded voices and melding them into a finished product of finesse. Five years later the same song reappears though this time the beneficiary of enhanced studio work blending the choirs input with the core skills of Jon and Jay. Fans of Ninebarrow can experience a sense of familiarity by comparing the originals and these re-interpreted efforts. They largely stand side-by-side in a state of beauty with a difference. Curious new observers get the double edged joy of part-conventional Ninebarrow and the pleasure of a lavish topping of multi-toned exquisite voices displaying strength in numbers. 

 

Ninebarrow draw on many themes for their work from a broad celebration of nature to intrinsic humane acts of marvel. They have a penchant for modernising old stories and borrow select songs of personal appeal. Seduced by folk convention, they also deal in good old rousing traditional songs and the odd shanty. These have defined the narrative for the first dozen years of Ninebarrow’s professional music career and pull together in this new collection driven by the duo’s flare to explore and push the boundaries of what fans usually expect.

 

THE HOUR OF THE BLACKBIRD captures Ninebarrow’s mission to etch the joy of song onto a widespread landscape and exploit the presence that more is better when fine voices reinvigorate the texture. The choral adaption is novel and expertly crafted. The result is an embracing listening experience caressing the mind with cloudless music.

THE HOUR OF THE BLACKBIRD ALBUM REVIEW

'While Ninebarrow have cast a spell over their previous albums it hardly prepares you for what occurs when they're combined with the grace & power of the harmonies of Hart Voices & The Chantry Singers.'

For Folk's Sake

 

The voice is a most marvelous instrument, it has a flexibility to move the mind in ways that fuel the heart and soul, which is what makes Ninebarrow’s new album, The Hour of the Blackbird, a most mystical experience. While the combination of Jon Whitley and Jay Bouchardiere’s voices have cast a spell over their previous albums, it hardly prepares you for what occurs when they are combined with grace and power of the combined harmonies of Hart Voices and The Chantry Singers. Nothing radical occurs, but everything changes.

When a band wants to do something unique, they generally turn to the use of strings to create new shades and colors. Whitley and Bouchardiere decided to go in a totally different direction. One based on a song they re-recorded during the pandemic, ‘The Hour of the Blackbird’. Recording remotely at that time, the song ended up raising $8,000 for the MIND charity. As Bouchardiere recalls, “The response to that blew us away and we thought if one song can sound this good recorded through phones and laptops imagine what a studio collaboration could sound like.”  

Under the direction of Roy Rashbrook (himself a member of the St. Paul’s Cathedral Choir), these choirs found a wellspring of magic and music to add to the already enchanting voices of the two singers, who have been described as, “two halves of one voice” by BBC 6 Music’s Mark Radcliffe. The simplicity of the musical beds these choirs sing against speaks volumes about Whitley and Bouchardiere, along with their ability to find the proper sounds to enhance the work of these forty voices. 

‘Come January’ paints a melancholy portrait of winter in Dorset, subdued and calm with a lone piano offering the background leading to the angelic choir. Again and again, Ninebarrow offers restraint in their instrumental choices, allowing the assembled voices to offer the shading necessary to build the song. From the heathlands, ‘Nestledown’ offers a pastoral winter waltz inspired by the non-migratory Dartford Warbler, weathering the winter until spring returns.

Addressing the plight of refugees living in camps throughout Europe, ‘Under the Fence’ begins simply, guitar and reed organ against a solitary voice. Slowly but surely the song builds, initially hushed while the choir begins to add somber yet revelatory tones. Vocal flames come to life on ‘Summer Fires’. The song, inspired by a tradition of leaping through fires on Midsummer’s Day that are destined to provide good luck.

From a song cycle by Whitley’s father, Bob, ‘Coming Home’ addresses Magellan’s expedition to find the strait connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The song, told from the point of view of Magellan’s wife waiting at home, aches as she watches the water, an ache that becomes palpable as vocalists and choir sing the title line. Finally, there is ‘Farewell Shanty’, an acapella number providing a spirituality that ties the album together. 

On The Hour of the Blackbird, Ninebarrow bring their acoustic comforts to play in ways that resemble choirs of angels. 

THE HOUR OF THE BLACKBIRD ALBUM REVIEW

'A written appreciation can't do justice - have a listen & you'll understand

At The Barrier

 

Knowing how much I enjoyed Ray Davies taking The Kinks into choral territory with the Crouch End Festival Chorus, the prospect of Ninebarrow doing similar is quite mouthwatering. A similar MO, albeit with no Crouch Enders; instead, the Chantry Singers and Hampshire’s Hart Voices do their thang with a selection from the Whitley/LaBouchardiere catalogue; one that already fills a nice space on the ATB HQ shelving with their beautifully presented asongbook and CD combos.

That attention to detail is at the core of their latest work. One that revisits and reimagines a selection of songs of the catalogue. Those recorded works being just the starting point for how a song or a tune might develop. Oft it is a rock band becoming unplugged (with varying degrees of success) or combining (…with varying degrees of success…) with an orchestra.

Having tested the waters in the lockdown era with what has become the title track, via a painstaking gathering and a testament to the technical prowess of engineering contributions from all over the world via all manner of devices, which in turn raised a nice sum for MIND, Ninebarrow now turn their attention to taking the plunge.


The full catalogue is mined for suitable gems for choral embellishment, from the most recent The Colour Of Night and back through Where The Blackthorn Burns, A Pocketful Of Acorns, Releasing The Leaves and The Waters & The Wild. The result is quite an achievement on so many levels. They have chosen wisely in the selection that lends itself to light, shade, power and subtlety.

The inspiration is of the common Ninebarrow themes found in the natural world – birds, water, and of individuals, places and traditions alongside and general air of well being that comes from taking in the open air. All come soundtracked by arrangements that take the Ninebarrow trademark of quality into a different dimension. At the core is both (a) a careful selection of beautiful Ninebarrow songs and (b) not to oversimplify or undersell their contribution, the ethereal and angelic oohs and aahs or quasi-Gospel contributions of the choirs.


It feels like all J&J’s work so far seems to have been leading to these arrangements. The recorded versions of these songs being just a starting point for letting their imaginations (and that of arranger and conductor Roy Rashbrook) run wild. The finale in their take on Ewen Carruthers’ Sailors All includes the lines: “We are sailors all, Until we’ve landed.” The smart money is on how these songs have journeyed from record to stage but have truly landed and found their home.

The joy comes in the anticipation of the embellishments as J&J lead in with a delicate piano or guitar introduction and their Simon & Garfunkel harmonies and so many magical moments on which to focus.

 

The choice of Names In The Sky as an opening piece and the first spectral appearance of the choir; the line “a choir of voices begins to swell” in The Hour Of The Blackbird that sums up the choral contribution. Summer Fires and Nestledown – just the whole pieces – in the former where the drone of reed organ bleeds into a gentle tumble of guitar notes and then strums and the latter the sort of perfect lullaby that lulls into (or out of) the land of Morpheus. The jaunty bounce of The Weeds where the friendly maypole jig is set against neglect and invasion. Only a heart of stone could fail to be moved.

At some point too, maybe the feeling of listening to an orchestral arrangement kicks in and of course that’s only right – the orchestra is one of massed voices. When Jon and Jay talk of their work with Roy and the choirs as the most creative and exciting collaborations of their career, you can sense their passion. A written appreciation can’t really do justice. Have a listen and you’ll understand.

Mike Ainscoe

THE HOUR OF THE BLACKBIRD ALBUM REVIEW

'Exultingly triumphant'

Folking.com

 

Bringing a spin to the familiar best of album, Dorset close harmony duo Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere, British folk’s answer to Simon & Garfunkel, have revisited and reworked thirteen songs from their previous albums in the company of the combined forty plus voices of acclaimed choral groups Hart Voices and The Chantry Singers under the directorship of Roy Rashbrook, a member of the St Paul’s Cathedral choir, alongside ubiquitous double bass player John Parker and percussionist Evan Carson.

Produced by Mark Tucker, who shares percussion duties, the result is exultingly triumphant in its coming together of self-penned songs, traditional and covers, setting the mood and benchmark with the opening ‘Names In The Sky’, their signature harmonies gradually joined by the swelling and soaring ensemble voices, which, originally on The Colour Of Night, is a celebration of South Wales children’s hospice Ty Hafan that tells how sound artist Justin Wiggin created a sonic garden to commemorate the children who had passed on, fusing local birdsong with a Morse code algorithm to ‘sing’ the names of the children.

Jon on piano, a salute to the changing seasons, ‘Come January’, from their fourth album, A Pocket Full of Acorns, paints a melancholic portrait of a Dorset winter as the choir affords a subdued, calm background, the same album also mined for the similarly themed pastoral waltz ‘Nestledown’, with Jay on his best Garfunkel form, inspired by the non-migratory Dartford Warbler that weathers the winter on the heathlands until spring returns. Other acorns from the same pocket are to be found in succession with the combined voices accompanied by only muted drone and marching drum beat for the traditional ‘Hey, John Barleycorn’, followed in contrasting mood with the sparse and brooding ‘Under The Fence’, taking its inspiration from ‘Cold, Haily, Windy Night’ and addressing the plight of refugees in camps across Europe as, opening with a single naked vocal, reed organ and strident piano set the eerie tone echoed by the choir as their voices build from a hush to a storm while, providing the bulk of the choices, the fifth selection is Jon’s quietly sung piano accompanied arrangement of Patrick Wolf’s song about spiritual healing through nature, ‘Teignmouth’.

The album takes its title from a song on The Waters And The Wild, a pizzicato plucked number that also speaks to the changing seasons, the voices dutifully swelling before it quietly ebbs to a close. Their 2014 debut, While The Blackthorn Burns, is revisited for three numbers, the first a churchy reed organ underpinned near six-minute ‘Summer Fires’ inspired by the European tradition of jumping through fires on Midsummer Day to bring good luck, their scintillating harmonies gradually joined by the choir’s vocal flames.

That’s followed by the jaunty galumphing sway of ‘The Weeds’, which, with what sounds like a euphonium but isn’t listed among the credits, uses a neglected house overrun by brambles as a metaphor for a failed relationship and a woman cast aside, though the rousing shanty-ish rendition is in direct contrast to the lyrics. And, thirdly, the circling notes of ‘The Sea’, a lament written and told from the perspective of a Roman soldier stationed at Hark Knott Fort in the Lake District, one of the Empire’s farthest outposts, the choral backing emphasising his yearning for home. This wouldn’t have sounded out of place on Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme.

There’s only one song from 2016’s Releasing The Leaves, but, written by Jon’s folk singer father Bob Whitley, ‘Coming Home’ is a fine choice, part of a song cycle about Magellan’s 16th century expedition to find the strait connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and told through the eyes of his wife waiting at home, a palpable emotional ache as they sing the title line.

It comes to a close with the final two acorns, the sublime apposite pairing of the voices and piano arrangement of Ewen Carruthers’ ‘Sailors All’ and, finally, Jon on lead and the choir providing aching backing, it signs off in keeping with their live shows with the sixth, their naked a cappella valedictory rendition of ‘Farewell Shanty’. There’s always been a spiritual quality to Ninebarrow’s music. The addition of the choirs makes it holy too.

Mike Davies

THE HOUR OF THE BLACKBIRD ALBUM REVIEW

'The acoustic equivalent of Monet’s Haystacks'

Irish Music Magazine

 

This is the new album from Dorset duo Ninebarrow (Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere), which will be out on October 3rd 2025. This is both a reprise and reimagining of work from their previous albums; the innovation is their reworking of songs with a combined choir of some forty voices from Hampshire’s Hart Voices (based in Fleet) and Surrey’s Chantry Singers (from Guildford). The acoustic equivalent of Monet’s Haystacks, look again and see how your subject appears in today’s light, reflect on its meaning with others and share those insights with your audience.


Hailed early in their 12-year career by the ukulele community, the title track employs the bell-like tome of a finger plucked uke to set up the song, with voices in harmony against a pulsating bass and the rising chorus of the ladies in the choir. They sing two songs that might be familiar to Irish readers, Hey John Barleycorn, the age old tale of ale, and Under The Fence, which we know as Cold Rainy Windy Night.


Ninebarrow are known for their commitment to environmentalism, planting 1000 trees to offset their carbon footprint from touring, and much of this album is lusciously bucolic, most jaunty on The Weeds, a song about nature taking over abandoned small holdings, a reminder that the countryside is a man-made paradise.


Their final song is pure a cappella, the traditional Farewell Shanty, with the duo’s voices mixed clear of the choir, the arrangement’s interlaid choral harmonies, sometimes running against and into the lead melody like water swishing the planks of a slowly moving hull. The Hour of the Blackbird is a gentle album, no angst, no polemics, no hectoring. If you need to chill, Ninebarrow have the prescription ready.


Seán Laffey

THE HOUR OF THE BLACKBIRD ALBUM REVIEW

'I haven’t described many albums as a masterpiece, but this one is as close as I think you’ll get.'

FATEA Magazine

 

When I heard there was a new album coming from Ninebarrow, I was very excited. Jon and Jay have written and delivered some beautiful records in recent years, with five studio albums and a staggering number of live shows to boot. Add to that, their own woodland, walking holidays and addictive charisma, and you have a perfect recipe for one of the most loved acts on the circuit, so what could possibly make them better? How about adding two of the best ‘choirs’ in the South of England for their new album Hour of the Blackbird?

The relationship started with the covid lockdown, with the guys inviting the choirs in, albeit by home recordings and mobile phone footage, which Jon weaved into what has become the title track of the new album. The Hart Voices and The Chantry singers are two fantastic singing groups. The success of the song, Hour of the Blackbird, first time round was a huge success, so it seemed a natural progression to bring the choirs into the studio to make this album and collection of beautifully produced tracks.

It is a clever mix of songs, some previously released by the Ninebarrow duo, such as the opening track Names in the Sky, originally inspired by the work of a Welsh hospice, Coming Home and Come January. The additional voices bring these beautiful songs even more to life, and that is no easy task, as Jon and Jay write and sing so beautifully as a duo – their perfect harmonies being integral to their sound. The arrangements are quite beautiful, the piano, melodies and angst remain but the addition of a beautiful wall of sound which grows as the tracks emerge, just take them to another level.

As with all good folk songs, there is always a narrative. Ninebarrow draw you in with their stories which arise from a variety of sources. The Weeds emerges from imagery of a neglected house covered in brambles but is also cleverly metaphorical for a failed relationship. The Sea is another beautiful arrangement that speaks from the eyes of a Roman Soldier stationed at The Hard Knott Fort in the Lake District, a land that Jon and Jay find themselves regularly peak bagging on some of their renowned walking trips. Nestledown is inspired by the Dartford Warbler and represents the guys love of nature. As already mentioned, a few years ago they planted and continue to nourish their own woodland, complete with the bird feeder webcam (you can find this on their website when conditions are favourable).

Teignmouth, a cover of Patrick Wolf’s song tells the tale of a train journey between London and Cornwall and the traditional songs, Cold, Haily Winter Night and Hey John Barleycorn also show the skilled arrangements which merge simple vocal deliverance and a hard wall of sound, brought in by the singers, to take it to an emotional level that you have to hear to understand.

As the album approaches its climax, Sailors All produces an anthemic sound as it weaves its way through another narrative story, before the album lands on a fitting finale with the Leaving Shanty. The lyric ‘it is time to go now’ brings us to the close of a journey that has been immense, emotional, melancholic and uplifting. The addition of the choirs to Ninebarrow’s already beautiful presentation of song is something else. The thing is though, it is subtle, the choirs sometimes finding their way into the background and at other times standing up as a tour de force, but whatever it is it works. I haven’t described many albums as a masterpiece, but this one is as close as I think you’ll get.

Stuart Green

★★★★

THE HOUR OF THE BLACKBIRD ALBUM REVIEW

'Quite how they will top this album is for another day...as for now, we can enjoy these songs in all their choral glory.'

Get Ready To Rock

 

Over the course of 12 years and five studio albums Ninebarrow (Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere) have earned themselves a reputation for their songwriting, imaginative reworkings of traditional songs, skilled musicianship, and their exquisite vocal harmonies. Now, on ‘The Hour of the Blackbird’, Ninebarrow have enlisted more than 40 other voices from the Hart Voices (based in Fleet) and the Chantry Singers (from Guildford) to revisit and reenvisage 13 of their songs under musical directorship of Roy Rashbrook, himself a member of the choir of St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Ninebarrow have used choirs before in the COVID lockdown single ‘The Hour of the Blackbird’ which went onto raise over £8,000 for the MIND charity. The success of this album is that the choirs complement the songs, often enhancing the choruses as ‘Summer Fires’ ably illustrates.

‘Nestledown’ takes on a whole new life as the choir sings gently behind the melodious singing of Jon and Jay. A personal favourite, ‘Hey, John Barleycorn’ sounds amazing with the choral parts. A song like this would fit perfectly on a Proms programme of traditional music.

Ninebarrow have become one of the most inventive, melodic and most importantly, a joy to listen to time and time again since they started out a decade ago. Quite how they will top this album is for another day (although knowing Ninebarrow they will!), as for now, we can enjoy these songs in all their choral glory.

★★★★

THE HOUR OF THE BLACKBIRD ALBUM REVIEW

'All told, it's rather remarkable'

Spiral Earth

 

Ninebarrow have been making a name for themselves for around twelve years, so perhaps it’s about time that we had a compilation from the Dorset lads. However a straight forward ‘Best Of’ would be the last thing to expect and you won’t be that shocked to find the word reworking being bandied about. Reimagining your past has of course been done many time before, for instance Horslips unplugged for ‘Roll Back,’ Jim Moray collaborated and reset on ‘BeFlean,’ so Ninebarrow… how is it different? Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere have always done their own thing, their own way, so adding the vocals of two whole choirs into the mix whilst it might raise a quizzical eyebrow or two is most likely to them, just another way to vary their music. Or is it?

Actually what they’ve achieved here goes a bit deeper because ‘The Hour Of The Blackbird,’ proves first rate at blending English roots and choral settings. They deserve a tip of the hat for even trying let alone succeeding. Small wonder then that rather than write fresh material the duo decided to cherry pick from previous albums, at least that made a complicated process a little easier. Yet Hart Voices and The Chantry Singers under the direction of Roy Rashbrook – he’s from St. Paul’s y’ know – are assimilated in a very neat way so the album still comes out sounding like Ninebarrow. Add in the experienced hands of John Parker on bass and percussion of Evan Carson and producer Mark Tucker alongside Whitley and LaBouchardiere’s keyboards/various stringed things and you’ve an appealing album which pushes the envelope in a different way.

I make this album number six – apologies if that’s wrong – the skill of all involved makes sure nowhere does one party over ride the other and the choirs are used to enhance Ninebarrow even buoy them along or offer a sort of counterpoint. Naturally the songs they’ve chosen do get tweaked from their original forms here and there, but nothing is glaring just subtle to meet the brief. Best tracks? To be frank it’s hard to single out any one, but the title song starts off like a real folk number with strict rhythmic strings then builds to a vocal swell which liberates the track and sends it spiralling skyward. Ninebarrow’s love of landscape, wildlife and the outdoors especially walking is central to everything here. In places the music really rocks – obviously not literally- as it’s all in the voices and how they interact with Ninebarrow’s empathetic, crafted songs which gives the impression.

All told, rather remarkable. They’re touring this across the autumn, if the gigs are anything like the CD then they’ll be a brilliant night out.

Simon Jones.

 

★★★★

THE HOUR OF THE BLACKBIRD ALBUM REVIEW

'A very classy coat of paint on 13 of their best songs.'

RnR Magazine

 

Dorset duo Ninebarrow have selected songs from five albums worth of back catalogue and
given them a very classy coat of paint. Under the musical directorship of Roy Rashbrook from St. Paul's Cathedral Choir, more than forty choristers from Hampshire's Hart Voices and Surrey's Chantry Singers join Ninebarrow - Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere - for a stroll through thirteen of their best songs. Each song tends to start with the gentle acoustic strains of the duo before the choir joins in with rather beautiful treatments that are usually restrained and never dominant. My favourite track is 'The Weeds', a metaphor for a failed relationship, on which a sprightly organ gets very lively choral support. 'Under The Fence', a rewrite of 'Cold Haily Rainy Night' for helpless migrants, gets added poignancy from an eerie choral backdrop.
The traditional 'Hey John Barleycorn' tones down its normal full-throated chorus to what is effectivity 'tasteful welly'. Although it probably won't appeal to everybody, I've always enjoyed Ninebarrow's classy songs and presentation and 'The Hour of the Blackbird' adds a bit of cream on top.


IAN CROFT

THE HOUR OF THE BLACKBIRD ALBUM REVIEW

'A wonderful album which crosses the musical boundaries between folk and choral music'

Unicorn Folk

 

My first introduction to Ninebarrow was back in 2023 when I heard their album The Colour Of The Night which was quite wonderful but I was not aware of their back catalogue which to some extent is what this album is all about. Ninebarrow are Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere a former teacher and GP respectively before they decided to become full time musicians in 2016. They are also well known for hosting walking holidays in the beautiful county of their native Dorset. Jon plays piano, ukelele and mandolas, and both he and Jay share the vocals and the highly distinctive reed organ. Even before they turned professional Ninebarrow had brought out their first album in 2014 and another 4 have followed since plus several collaborations. This latest album, their sixth, is itself a collaboration with Hart Voices and the Chantry Singers a fusion of 40 voices from two choirs from Hampshire and Surrey respectively under the musical direction of Roy Rashbrook. However, the sound is distinctly that of Ninebarrow in what is a showcase of some of their best songs enhanced by the ethereal sound of the choirs. As someone who is not familiar with their back catalogue apart from The Colour of The Night my immediate thought was to go back and listen to the songs on this album as they were originally performed by Ninebarrow on previous albums. The majority of the tracks come originally from their fourth album A Pocket Full Of Acorns which came out in 2021 and the other credited musicians on that are the same as for the latest album – John Parker on double bass, Evan Carson and Mark Tucker on percussion with the latter credited once again as the producer. Although, I happen to particularly like the cello as an instrument and despite the fact that the closing section of Teignmouth on the original album is played on the cello and replaced by the choir on the latest album, I think it true to say that the choral additions work for literally every song. This may have something to do with the fact that Ninebarrow as a duo are something of a mini heavenly choir and with the addition of Hart Voices and the Chantry Singers it is their unique sound that is enhanced to provide the listener with the fuller heavenly Ninebarrow sound. Perhaps it is also not surprising that the addition of the choral sounds has a more marked effect on tracks from their first album While The Blackthorn Burns. Both The Sea and Summer Fires appear on this new album in extended slowed down versions and the latter also benefits from a longer introduction. Whilst The Weeds is sung at more or less the same tempo the choirs lift the song into a new dimension of shared jollity and consequently it is possibly my favourite song on the album. Now that they have gone down the choral route it will be interesting to see what approach Jon and Jay take on their next album and whether they dare go back to recording with just their two voices. In the meantime, this is a wonderful album which crosses the musical boundaries between folk and choral music in so far as anyone has ever bothered to define any! I try and tell people to forget about boundaries in music and that these days ‘folk’ is a very broad church and this is certainly an album that demonstrates that in a very good way. Being released on October 3rd I guess this will also have an appeal to the Christmas market and if I hadn’t been so lucky as to receive a review copy I would have been delighted to receive this album as a Christmas present. The new album is released on Friday October 3rd and Ninebarrow will embark on a tour to support the new album starting on Saturday October 4th in Northwich Cheshire and you can find a link to their website with all the dates HERE or you can find a link in the ‘Gigs & Tours’ Listing on Unicorn Folk as you are already on site.


CARL FILBY

THE HOUR OF THE BLACKBIRD ALBUM REVIEW

'A delicious listening experience'

Essex Folk News

It's a while now since I reviewed the third album - The Waters and the Wild - from this Dorset duo and, looking back, I was struck by the mature assurance of their performance and the variety of the material they had recorded. So where are they now?


Here they have chosen to re-record 13 tracks from their back catalogue but with the significant addition of two choirs, Hart Voices and The Chantry Singers, under the musical direction of a St Paul's Cathedral chorister, Roy Rashbrook. And what a difference they make. They add a completely new dimension to the material - which is mostly contemporary apart from our old friend John Barleycorn and the Cornish Farewell Shanty - and give this album a freshness and interest that is more than simply a regurgitation of past material. It is effectively new material and makes for a delicious listening experience.


It is hard to choose a stand out track but I was particularly taken with the eerie Under The Fence based on the well known Cold, Haily, Windy Night, where the powerful piano and the harmonies of the choir add so much to this tale of the life of refugees.


This is the first time I have heard established artists working with choirs. It is a fascinating listening experience and one which I am happy to invite others to try.


MALCOLM WOODS

THE COLOUR OF NIGHT ALBUM REVIEW

★★★★★

'Chock-full of 11 stunning must-hear tracks which flies the proud flag of absolute quality'

Folk Wales

This album, Ninebarrow’s fifth, is very special; Dorset-based duo Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere celebrate their first decade together, and The Colour of Night is chock-full of 11 stunning must-hear tracks which flies the proud flag of absolute quality. They hit on the stage name after Nine Barrow Down, an elongated chalk escarpment which forms the northern ridge of the Purbeck Hills; their perfect sound paints an aural picture of soaring high harmonies which are spot-on, deliciously precise and elegantly garlanded with gorgeous accompaniment from Lee Mackenzie’s soothing and beautiful cello, John Parker’s prowling double bass and quiet but insistent percussion from Evan Carson and Mark Tucker. It speaks of summer, pastoral landscapes, gentle breeze, peace, contentment and love – but it can pleasantly jolt the audience’s minds when they shift a gear and move ever-so-gently into exquisite, slinky and artful pop.

Jon and Jay write in the impressively illustrated songbook that accompanies The Colour of Night: “We’ve known each other since we met at school at the tender age of twelve (way too long ago now!) We became ‘an item’ at fifteen and eventually got married in 2017. We’ve grown up together, and learned so much about ourselves and each other along the way.” In the album, Jay fills out Ninebarrow’s unique sound with reed organ while Jon plays ukulele, tenor guitar, octave mandola and dreamy piano.

Ninebarrow compose such good, personal songs; however, they carefully and intelligently cherry-pick the high gallery of writing. The opening track is ‘House’, by a London indie musician named Patrick Wolf; Jay has been a fan of his for years, and Patrick’s final stanza goes: “This is the greatest peace I’ve ever known / Only your love makes house a home.” Jay and Jon have a wonderful knack of creating such tasteful tunes; poet William Barnes wrote ‘The Blackbird’, and they combine it with a mouth-watering, catchy melody which they entitle ‘Among The Boughs’. Jimmy Macarthy worked as a horse jockey in the village of Macroom in County Cork, and he wrote ‘Ride On’; Christy Moore scored with a smash hit which has been covered a zillion times – but Jon and Jay’s enticing two-part harmonies and their spectacular arrangement wave a magic wand and make a whole new art form out of it. The restless solo piano heralds the one traditional song, ‘The Snows They Melt The Soonest’; and their passionate voices make this the best track of all.

Their original work is so impressive; ‘Names In The Sky’ tributes Tŷ Hafan, the South Wales children’s hospice on the banks of the Bristol Channel, and ‘Walk With Me’ is just a bold, happy song. ‘Kitty’s Song’ is a Devon girl who fell pregnant out of wedlock and was ostracised by the townspeople; the cruel custom was called Skimmity Riding, where the poor unfortunates were paraded through the streets in front of jeering crowds. ‘Ten Miles by Two’ salutes the workers who cut the Purbeck and Portland limestones; and Jay wrote the title song when he headed out to the Ninebarrow Woodland at night.

Jay and Jon sign off with ‘River Man’ by the late Nick Drake, who tragically died nearly 50 years ago at the young age of 26. Drake was an enigmatic writer who was best-known for his wonderful acoustic guitar songs; his work failed to win audience acclaim while he was alive, but his compositions have now gained recognition with many artists, and his material has been covered a plethora of times. Ninebarrow have been regarded for interpreting other writers’ work with a very great difference, and they salute and even enhance the great man’s artistry – who could ask for that?

THE COLOUR OF NIGHT ALBUM REVIEW

'One of the most beautiful folk albums you will hear all year.' 

Daily Express & Daily Mirror

One of the most beautiful folk albums you will hear all year. The Dorset duo specialise in warm, close harmonies that draw you into 11 melodic and occasionally melancholic songs. There are five originals, an adaptation of a 19th century Dorset poem, and five quality covers, including Nick Drake's masterpiece River Man.


Outstanding.

THE COLOUR OF NIGHT ALBUM REVIEW

'Ten years and five albums into their career folk duo Ninebarrow have crafted their finest album to date. 'The Colour of Night' is pure class.' 

Folk Radio UK

Ten years and five albums into their career (from pretty much a standing start), folk duo Ninebarrow have crafted their finest album to date. While there’s a trend in current folk to be a bit more earthy and ramshackle, Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere instead strive for musical perfection. And there’s room for both approaches – and everywhere in between – in the vibrant and varied British folk scene. For Ninebarrow, this is the culmination of a decade-long artistic coherence, and The Colour of Night is pure class.

The duo expanded from early beginnings to perform as a trio featuring Lee MacKenzie on cello and as a full band, adding John Parker on double bass and Evan Carson on percussion. The whole lineup features in various forms, adding texture, technique and tenacity to the finely curated eleven tracks. Renowned producer Mark Tucker captured the musical magic and also added extra percussion.

Six songs are by Jon and Jay, alongside an eclectic mix of well-chosen covers and a radical reworking of a Wiliam Barnes poem set to a new tune. The album arrives with what became an anthem for the duo during their pandemic-enforced online concerts (which were so successful and technically proficient they are still happening). House is by indie songwriter Patrick Wolf, an ode to domesticity and togetherness under one roof. Its straightforward heart-on-the-sleeve sentiments could end up seeming corny, but here it’s evocative, poignant and moving.

The same is true of Ninebarrow’s composition, Walk With Me, which celebrates Jon and Jay’s personal and professional relationship. But it has a universal appeal to anyone who has found joy and comfort in companionship: ‘I could walk alone/ But would you walk with me?’

It’s just one of a fine set of new songs, the most affecting being Names in the Sky. They were inspired by a BBC Radio 4 programme of the same name, which told the story of a children’s hospice in Wales Tŷ Hafan (‘House of Hope’). A sound artist, Justin Wiggan, was asked to create a ‘sonic memory garden’ for the home. What he did was quite extraordinary: inspired by birdsong in the hospice garden, using an algorithm, he turned the names of children who had passed away into birdsong to play alongside the real bird’s calls. Now, the birds are learning them and, as they migrate, are singing the children’s names far across the world. The song simply and sensitively brings the story to life. Both heartbreaking and uplifting, Names in the Sky is simply beautiful.

Kitty’s Song is a rare beast for a duo renowned for their vocal harmonies, being an instrumental but showcasing Jon’s sensitive piano playing. The tune segues into the well-known folk song, The Snows They Melt the Soonest. You may have heard many renditions before, but Jon and Jay’s take – inspired by the redoubtable Dick Gaughan’s version – is dreamy and divine, with the pair sounding as perfectly matched in harmony as their very best work. It may be the only traditional song on the album, but it’s a corker.

The album closes with a cover of Nick Drake’s River Man. I always find it hard to contemplate anyone approaching or even matching the late, tragic and much-admired songwriter’s recordings, let alone recording what has become one of his most admired compositions. But this is different. Jon’s piano-based version is a revelation; it is a new interpretation that stays faithful to the Harry Robertson arrangement of the tricky 5/4 time signature. Drake’s original will always be my first love, but Ninebarrow’s reworking is a delightful bit on the side.

Ten years in, the cottage industry of Ninebarrow, with their live streams, walking books and tours, and musical holiday breaks, has returned to what started it all: immaculate arrangements of beautiful songs to delight the ears and stir the soul. It’s worth purchasing the Songbook that accompanies the music, which is beautifully put together with images, lyrics and in-depth explanatory notes on each song. This is an album to treasure.

Peter Shaw

THE COLOUR OF NIGHT ALBUM REVIEW

'Exquisitely crafted harmonies...subtle and beguiling'

Lancashire Telegraph

Ninebarrow," The Colour of Night" (Self Released)- The fifth studio album from Dorset duo Ninebarrow provides an eloquent vehicle for the exquisitely crafted harmonies which have become their trademark and set them apart from most of their contemporaries in the folk field. Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere show impeccable musical taste in their choice of cover versions here, with Nick Drake's "River Man" and the Christy Moore favourite "Ride On" nestlingly snugly alongside a delicate reimagining of the traditional "The Snows They Melt The Soonest ."Jay's own compositions are also well worth investigating, and the two men's enduring love affair with their home county informs "Among The Boughs," their freshly minted new adaptation of Dorset dialect poet William Barnes' poem "The Blackbird." The Ninebarrow band members, cellist Lee Mackenzie, double bassist John Parker and percussion ace Evan Carson also deserve a mention in dispatches for their excellent contributions to this subtle and beguiling set.

Kevin Bryan

THE COLOUR OF NIGHT ALBUM REVIEW

★★★★

'Exquisitely crafted harmonies...subtle and beguiling' 

Morning Star

THE fifth studio album from Dorset duo Ninebarrow provides an eloquent vehicle for the exquisitely crafted harmonies which have become their trademark and set them apart from most of their contemporaries in the folk field.

Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere show impeccable musical taste in their choice of cover versions here, with Nick Drake’s River Man and the Christy Moore favourite Ride On nestling snugly alongside a delicate reimagining of the traditional The Snows They Melt The Soonest.

Jay’s own compositions are also well worth investigating, and the two men’s enduring love affair with their home county informs Among The Boughs, their freshly minted new adaptation of Dorset dialect poet William Barnes’s poem The Blackbird.

The Ninebarrow band members, cellist Lee Mackenzie, double bassist John Parker and percussion ace Evan Carson also deserve a mention in dispatches for their excellent contributions to this subtle and beguiling set.

THE COLOUR OF NIGHT ALBUM REVIEW

★★★★

'The production values are faultless'

R2 Magazine

The fifth album by Ninebarrow, the duo formed by Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere, The Colour Of Night maintains the high standard of their previous offerings. On songs that are immersed in rural Dorset and its nature, the duo's sensitive vocals and harmonies get excellent support from Lee Mackenzie (cello), John Parker (double bass) and Evan Carson (percussion).


The opener is a cover of Patrick Wolf's 'House', a lockdown anthem in which 'only your love makes a house a home'. One of five self-compositions, 'Names in The Sky' is a beautiful piece, a story of birdsong being used to commemorate the short lives of some who died in a children's hospice.


'Among The Boughs' has harmonium raising the tempo for an adapted William Barnes poem set to their own tune. A stripped-back version of the traditional The Snows They Melt The Soonest' gives a nod to Dick Gaughan's interpretation, and Jimmy McCarthy's 'Ride On' harks back to their youth. Title track The Colour Of Night' reflects how being anxious in the dark is allayed by imagining the sunshine.


With Mark Tucker in the chair, the production values are faultless and the same can be said of another of Ninebarrow's beautifully produced booklets, with thirty colourful pages of photos, song background and lyrics.

THE COLOUR OF NIGHT ALBUM REVIEW

'Sublime'

Around Kent Folk Magazine

When we were asked to review Ninebarrow's latest album, we jumped at the chance, being dedicated fans, and with good reason. This, their fifth since forming in 2012, sees Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere continue as exceptional wordsmiths and interpretive musicians. Peter
Sallis once said "When you listen to Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending', you are listening to England." The same could be said of Ninebarrow and their beloved Dorset, although some of the songs on this album cast further afield. Jon and Jay's sublime vocal harmonies and musicianship, joined once again by the Ninebarrow band members Lee Mackenzie (Cellist), John Parker (Double bass) and Evan Carson (Percussion), all equally talented in their own right, create an album that takes you on a colourful journey of light and shade, height and depth, with fragility and strength, as they tackle both original compositions and their interpretations of others songs. "At the core of the sound are Jon's multi-instrumental skills (piano, ukulele, tenor and octave mandola) with Jon and Jay sharing duties on the distinctive reed organ and vocals"


Five of the songs are original compositions by Jon and Jay. Names in the Sky is inspired by a Radio 4 programme on the 'sonic memory garden' created by Justin Wiggan at a children's hospice. Walk with Me, written by Jay, is an "ode to sharing time". Cast to the Waves recalls an old May Day tradition in Abbotsbury, Dorset. Kitty's Song (about the legend of Kitty Jay) the only instrumental track, was originally commissioned by the Off the Map dance company for a show. Ten Miles by Two, about Purbeck's quarrying history, has a stronger, more percussive beat. House is a cover version of a song by Patrick Wolf, which we first heard on one of their lockdown livestreams, and celebrates all things 'home'.


Among the Boughs is adapted from 'The Blackbird', a poem by Dorset dialect poet William Barnes. The Snows They Melt the Soonest is their interpretation of the traditional song which they have long wanted to record. Their cover of Jimmy MacCarthy's classic Ride On is popular at Ninebarrow gigs and one of the first songs Jay remembers adding a harmony to in his early days at folk clubs. The melody of The Colour of Night is adapted from a traditional Icelandic melody and the lyrics are written by Jay out of his experience of sitting at night in the Ninebarrow Woodland (a woodland of 1000 trees planted by them in 2021). The album is completed by their version of River Man as a homage to Nick Drake.


This album is a worthy addition to the Ninebarrow catalogue and is available from 1st September. Highly recommended!

THE COLOUR OF NIGHT ALBUM REVIEW

'An intoxicating triumphant way to mark their first ten years and a tantalising suggestion of what yet lies ahead'

Folking.com

Again featuring Lee MacKenzie on cello, double bassist John Parker and both producer Mark Tucker and Evan Carson on percussion, close harmony duo Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere’s fifth album, The Colour Of Night, their first new material in over two years, brings together a mix of originals, covers, the traditional and a setting of a poem by the Dorset dialect poet William Barnes, who inspired many of the lyrics on the previous album.

Crafting a nocturnal mood reflecting the album title, they kick off with a cello and piano-based arrangement of Patrick Wolf’s ‘House’, a number which, referencing Dylan Thomas, Yeats and Thomas Hardy, he wrote as a celebration of home and belonging, the duo embracing it as a lockdown anthem. Coincidentally perhaps, the first of the self-penned tracks is ‘Names In The Sky’, inspired by a Radio 4 programme of the same name about a South Wales children’s hospice called Ty Hafan, which translates as House Of Hope. The five-minute song, again anchored by cello and opening with harmonium and a fittingly elegiac, dreamlike ambience, relates the story of sound artist Justin Wiggin who created a sonic garden to commemorate the children who had passed on, fusing local birdsong with a Morse code algorithm to have the names of the children ‘sung’ from the speakers, translated into the lyrics as “I’ll sing as I build for my children a nest/Oh I’ll sing them the songs that lie deep in my breast” as they take to the sky.

The lyric mentions a blackbird and ‘Among The Boughs’ is their heavily adapted setting (no dialect) of Barnes’s poem ‘The Blackbird’, a churchy harmonium underpinned, musically sprightly celebration of the coming of spring. Sandwiched between with LaBouchardiere singing lead, the wistful ‘Walk With Me’ is built around piano arpeggios, cello and bass joining later, and inspired by their partnership, both personal and professional, and countryside rambles is, as he puts it, “an ode to sharing some time – an hour or a few decades – with someone who makes your life better just by being there”, or as the lyrics ask, “I could walk alone, but would you walk with me?”

Moving from spring to summer, drawing on their Dorset roots, ‘Cast To The Waves’, with its natural world imagery of birds, butterflies and flower, warm lilting picked guitar-led melody and their Simon & Garfunkel-like harmonies, relates to an old May Day tradition in the village of Abbotsbury wherein the children make two floral garlands (one each of garden and wild flowers) which are then paraded before being cast into the sea as an offering to ensure good fishing.

The sole instrumental, etched on Whitley’s classical keyboards, the meditative ‘Kitty’s Tune’ was commissioned by the Off The Map theatre company for a production based around South West folklore, one being the legend of Kitty Jay, a housemaid who, straying from the path through her desire to explore the world beyond her community, committed suicide after being ostracised for becoming pregnant out of wedlock and who is buried on Dartmoor. That segues into the album’s traditional component and their stripped back interpretation of ‘The Snows They Melt The Soonest’, taking their influence from the version by Dick Gaughan.

The second cover is their reading of ‘Ride On’, written by Jimmy MacCarthy and made famous by Christy Moore, though here taken at a slower, more melancholic pace with piano backing the vocals as it build to embrace swirling cello and bass. The two remaining originals line up back to back, the first, Carson’s percussion in the spotlight, ‘Ten Miles By Two’ returning to local matters with a number rooted in the county’s quarrying history, reed organ and strings building the muscular intensity and taking its title from the area in which the prized Purbeck marble (a form of limestone used in building St Paul’s Cathedral) was found and the 1904 incident when the quarrymen broke through the barriers erected by the local landowner (who could level a toll on any stone removed) to stop them exercising their right to dig, Listening, it’s hard not to draw comparisons with Seth Lakeman, minus the fiddle.

Local colour also informs the harmonium-shaded, atmospheric hymnal-like title track, written by LaBouchardiere about night in Ninebarrow Woodland and, more especially, how the anxiety-inducing eeriness as he stood there, calming himself by imagining it in sunlight, the words set to an old Icelandic folk tune ‘Vökuró’ (itself recorded by Bjork), the poetic lyrics about metaphorically looking for the light in times of darkness.

They end with the final cover, a contemplative piano-based homage reworking of Nick Drake’s enigmatic time-signature challenging ‘River Man’, closing on a single suspended piano note. Released, as ever, with an accompanying full colour booklet of illustrations, annotations and lyrics, perfectly capturing the stillness of the world evoked by the title alongside the energy of daylight hours, and the often unobserved magic of the two, The Colour Of Night is an intoxicating triumphant way to mark their first ten years and a tantalising suggestion of what yet lies ahead.

THE COLOUR OF NIGHT ALBUM REVIEW

'Ninebarrow continue to evolve as one of the most evocative acts on the folk circuit. 'The Colour of Night' evokes a spell of tranquil artistry in 11 exquisitely presented tracks'

Three Chords and the Truth

From their Dorset base, Ninebarrow continue to evolve as one of the most evocative acts on the folk circuit. The duo of Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere are clearly at one with the natural environment on many levels and this astutely filters into a sound spilling over with a sensual beauty. THE COLOUR OF NIGHT evokes a spell of tranquil artistry as we are guided through the mist of eleven tracks sourced, created and exquisitely presented. 

Ninebarrow take their name from a Dorset landmark, but never refrain from prolifically sharing their music with folks in every corner of the land. Acclaim has tumbled their way across the first four album releases, countless shows and many innovative projects harnessing a passion. This fifth release continues the forward motion, and sinking into the delights of this enthralling piece of immersive art reaps a sense of unison and awareness. 

The album is a mixture of a trio of covers; a traditional arrangement; five original songs; an original tune and a poem re-working. Proof that Jon and Jay leave no stone unturned when pooling ideas for records. It is the work of an artist the pair have covered before that gets things underway. There is strong contemporary feel to 'House', a song by Patrick Wolf whose material appeared on the previous album. The inclusion of this song is a bequest of lockdown throwback and the ideal platform for the omnipresent gorgeous harmonies to kick in. 

The second cover crops up in the second half of a 45-minute running time when the Jimmy MacCarthy song 'Ride On' made famous by Christy Moore gets the blissful Ninebarrow makeover. This song goes back a long way in the duo's introduction to folk music and gets a version that extends its presence further down the road. The final straight up borrowed song is a brave effort to pay homage to Nick Drake by putting the Ninebarrow stamp on 'River Man'. It closes the album in a similar vein to the tempo that best drives this type of music - thoughtful and considered. 

Perhaps the slightly more upbeat moment on a record described more as a relaxing stroll than a frantic sprint is a loose musical adaption of a William Barnes poem. 'Among the Boughs' takes its inspiration from 'The Blackbird' and portrays the duo's influence from alternative art forms. Similarly in this sphere is the outlier track 'Kitty's Song', which is a short piano instrumental written for a dance piece with all the graceful poise of the physical art of movement. 

From a traditional standpoint, Jon and Jay in their own words have 'plucked up the courage' to do a version of 'The Snow They Melt the Soonest' made famous by Scottish folk luminary Dick Gaughan. Aficionados can compare; the rest can just enjoy. 

While folk music by its nature is rich in interpretation and uncovering, attention to storytelling through the original song is a vital cog. A possible standout track on this album is the telling of the Dorset tradition of offering floral tributes to the sea. 'Cast to the Waves' tunnels a similar path to much of the album, but possesses a distinct spark in the melody that resonates. The album title appears as a track in the penultimate spot with 'The Colour of Night' highlighting how darkness can be perceived with a different mindset. 

Another personal inclusion is the song 'Walk With Me' that pushes the importance of a rural stroll. An activity Ninebarrow have extended by promoting their own musical walk breaks. A significant part of this song is a writing structure filtering in the words - walk, talk and sing at opportune moments. One for those who look for patterns in lyrics. The final two original songs take their inspiration from contrasting influences. 'Names in the Sky' appears as the second track and draws from birdsong identified in the garden of children's hospice in South Wales.

 

Another fascinating find from delving deep into Ninebarrow's work. The final offering takes us back to the Dorset roots and the limestone quarrymen of an area rich in geological relevance. 'Ten Miles By Two' opens in a different way to much of the album and is quite profound in telling a story. 

From a personal perspective, this is the second Ninebarrow album to get fully immersed in after 2021's A POCKET FULL OF ACORNS. Previously, it was taking a chance on an unknown artist at a folk club in the West Midlands. It is good to see a review of that night in 2018 nestled alongside other more esteemed press coverage on the band's website. Maybe another Ninebarrow show is long overdue in these quarters.

Live shows apart, there is so much depth and wealth in the recorded content. THE COLOUR OF NIGHT is a compelling project to explore, experience and ultimately enjoy. The wanderings, discoveries and folk enlightenment of Ninebarrow continues to blossom with no doubt much more to build on with the all round strength of this latest record. 

THE COLOUR OF NIGHT ALBUM REVIEW

'They seem to effortlessly continue to clear the high bar they’ve set; a decade of their evocative musical charm is encapsulated in The Colours of Night.'

At The Barrier

Another exquisite set from Ninebarrow – it feels like we’re almost compelled to use the same words as when we reviewed A Pocketful Of Acorns back in 2021. The old maxim of ‘if it ain’t broken why fix it’ comes into play with another beautifully presented CD digipack and booklet to add to the swelling ‘N’ section on the shelves.

Clearly subscribing to the same cliche bank as ourselves, the Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere are joined once again – ‘if it ain’t broken…?’ – by cellist Lee Mackenzie, John Parker on double bass, with Evan Carson (whose recent hairstyle modifications certainly don’t subscribe to the ‘if it ain’t broken…’) on percussion.

As the album title suggests, the duo works a balancing act between light and shade. The carefully crafted fragility that is their trademark is offset by more lush and textured arrangements; five songs and one tune being Ninebarrow originals, amongst a selection of covers and an adaptation and arrangement of a Victorian Dorset dialect poem by William Barnes. The ‘tradition’ isn’t snubbed though, as the folk box is firmly ticked; the pair, inspired by Dick Gaughan’s take on The Snows They Melt The Soonest, gird their loins and take up the challenge to produce a stately and reverent effort that ranks up with the finest versions of the song.

Finally overcoming the feeling of trepidation at attempting such an iconic piece by such an iconic singer, they do it again on Nick Drake’s River Man which has the honour of closing the album. Dripping with the sort of passion that’s earned many admirers, the gentle cadence of Jon and Jay’s homage is a genuinely felt tribute.

But back to where we came in and a rich string texture that introduces House, the warmth of the sentiment about “the place you call home” bears a link with the confinement period of 2020 – their very own (actually written by Patrick Wolf) lockdown anthem. Walk With Me shares a similar intimacy, with the richness of the cello complementing the rolling piano lines in the same way as the sentiment considers friendship and the joy in sharing.

Kitty’s Song – a small snippet of a larger work inspired by the folklore of the South West – references Kitty Jay (a familiar figure in folk circles via Seth Lakeman’s trademark piece) giving a lovely piano breather. Not only that, the thought of them developing a fully formed larger-scale project is a mouthwatering prospect.

Ever a sucker for a drone, Among The Boughs sees Jon and Jay on familiar territory in calling up William Barnes and adapting one of his poems with a melody that bounces lightly, celebrating nature. Paired with Cast To The Waves, the signature Ninebarrow care and craft is in full flow. Birds, trees, water, horses and the history of quarrying all provide subject matter; the latter (whilst we’re on the subject) a brooding Lakeman-esque arrangement that tells of something approaching civil disobedience in reclaiming rights. Ten Miles By Two bemoaning how “The poor man’s rights stay paper thin, that’s the way it’s always been…” with a starker and rhythmic-based arrangement.

Much more gentle is the title track that conjures up visions of the famous Ninebarrow woodland (at night, naturally). Again, the effect of the simple drone and setting the song to an Icelandic folk song adds to the haunting and eerie, yet comforting ambience. A sense of reassurance, not unlike Galadriel’s gift of Eärendil’s star to provide light in the darkness.

The Colour Of Night is very much a much-welcomed return for Ninebarrow. They seem to effortlessly continue to clear the high bar they’ve set; a decade of their evocative musical charm is encapsulated in The Colours Of Night.

Mike Ainscoe

THE COLOUR OF NIGHT ALBUM REVIEW

'A lovely collection of original and borrowed songs, beautifully recorded and delivered with great skill and polish.'

Essex Folk News

This is a lovely collection of original and borrowed songs, beautifully recorded and delivered with great skill and polish by duo Ninebarrow (Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere). Based in Dorset, the two have been singing together for nine years and this is their fifth studio album. Their voices are somehow both confident and gentle, and the songs and arrangements highlight the vocals and in particular the shimmering harmonies, which for me are the highlights of the album. Both are skilled musicians, accompanying the songs with piano, reed organ, tenor guitar, ukulele and octave mandola. Guest musicians add cello, double bass and percussion which further complement the sound.


Six of the eleven songs are original compositions, and another, Among the Boughs, is a setting of a William Barnes poem. Nature and the land are recurring themes throughout the album. Walk With Me reflects the pair's love for walking in the countryside; Cast to the Waves recalls the coastal tradition of offering garlands of flowers to the sea to ensure good fishing. The emotive Ten Miles By Two tells of historical injustice done to quarry workers. The theme persists in the covers they have chosen, including a sensitive re-working of Nick Drake's River Man, and the much loved traditional song The Snows they Melt the Soonest, which is given the Ninebarrow treatment of lyrical piano accompaniment and rich harmonies. Their own sensitive and harmonious compositions do not seem out of place even next to folk club favourites like Jimmy MacCarthy's Ride On.

Anna Bass

THE COLOUR OF NIGHT ALBUM REVIEW

'Ninebarrow’s Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere craft another quality album, their voices dovetailing perfectly throughout.'

Northern Skies

Ninebarrow’s Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere craft another quality album, the fifth Ninebarrow album to date and one carved out of the lockdown period.  The Colour of Night coincides with the duo’s ten year anniversary and features both self-penned and non-original songs, with one or two pleasant surprises.  Once again wrapped in one of Sarah Whitley’s creations, a now immediately familiar artistic style, the album features eleven songs, opening with a fine reading of the Patrick Wolf song “House”, which is taken as a lockdown song, the home being possibly the most important aspect of the last couple of years or so, a place we had to get used to for better or for worse.  The song reaches for its poetical affiliation and soon locates it with references to both Dylan Thomas and WB Yeats.  It’s a fine entrée, a moment of gentle repose.  Poetry continues on “Among the Boughs”, as the Dorset duo pay dues to their own county bard William Barnes, with an adaptation of his beautiful poem The Blackbird.  The mid-album instrumental interlude “Kitty’s Song” segues seamlessly into a sensitive reading of the traditional “The Snows They Melt the Soonest”, the two voices dovetailing perfectly throughout.  Jimmy MacCarthy’s timeless “Ride On” has been covered a few times over the years, notably by Christy Moore and later by Mary Coughlan, yet Ninebarrow find more mileage in the song here, turning in a vibrant emotionally-charged version.  Though vocally sublime throughout, there’s also an emphasis on arrangement, the duo’s credentials very much on show on “Ten Miles or Two”, a performance to return to time and again.  Closing with a faithful reading of the old Nick Drake song “River Man”, with Jon’s piano handling Harry Robertson’s complex arrangement more than impressively, The Colour of Night accomplishes what it set out to do, to provide the listener with a satisfying experience, before returning to their respective treadmills.  Lovely.

THE COLOUR OF NIGHT ALBUM REVIEW

'Now and again you hear an album which on first play tells you that you will return to it again and again because of what it does to you. This is one of those.'

Tykes Stirrings Magazine

The duo have been together ten years. This is their fifth album and it is far and away their best. The promise of their previews released is here fully fulfilled.


Exquisite songs, beautifully observed, tastefully selected, finely crafted, perfectly executed over both the precision of keen understanding and sharp observation and the positivism of world which, despite its acknowledged faults, offers hope and contentment.


Alongside their original songs are versions of Snows they melt the soonest, Ride On, the poetry of William Barnes and the cherry on the cake, the eleventh and final track, a remarkable rethink of Nick Drake's River Man.


Make time to listen to this album, let it wash over you, let it uplift you, bask in the good feeling it generates. Then listen again following the lyrics. Then again reading the informative and helpful track notes. Each revisit is rewarding and enhancing.


Now and again you hear an album which on first play tells you that you will return to it again and again because of what it does to you. This is one of those.


Nigel Schofield

THE COLOUR OF NIGHT ALBUM REVIEW

'Rightly celebrated as being at the vanguard of a new wave of English Folk music'

Irish Music Magazine

This Dorset based duo of Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere accompanied on this album by Lee Mackenzie (cello), John Parker (double bass) and Evan Carson (percussion), are rightly celebrated as being at the vanguard of a new wave of English Folk music.


Let's get right into their songs, firstly House: voice and piano, the lyrics argue that we've been too long a rolling stone, there's a relief in settling down, with the cello evoking the prospect of stasis. They conclude that being rooted in place is good.


Names in the Sky: seamless close harmony again, a splash of cymbals, linking bridges of meiody, a lullaby, deep strings and bell like chords. Walk With Me has a rippling piano intro, as the song requests us to "take me somewhere else".


Cast to the Waves: with its guitar and synth, anchors itself on the hope ofspring, collecting cowslips and daisies, wild flowers, fresh offerings to be cast to the waves like some ancient rite. This is environmentalism in the mould of Gilbert White, observational, close focused, intimate. For The Snows They Melt the Soonest, first noted in 1821 in the Northeast of England, they play it plaintive, slow and moody, a piano extemporisation, a poem of the inevitable and the ironic.


In Ireland, we associate Ride On with Christy Moore, Ninebarrow take it at a walk not a canter, a final crescendo on the piano grabbing the theme from the cello before it fades to decaying chord.


Ten Miles By Two: with drum and percussion angrily incanting the swing of a hammer on a chisel's head, a narrative framed by the hard graft and little respect that Purbeck quarrymen endured in the 19th century; a reprised phrase "break the fence and haul the block", as the finger-plucked bass matches the industrial monotony of marble cutting.


The title track, The Colour of Night: asks what does a garden and its flowers look like at night, what happens to the power of colour? Is our answer based on fear of the dark and our only solution to "drown the stars in restless light?" They conclude the "soul is blind to the colour of night", a metaphor for the unbecoming of us all.


This is their fifth album in ten years and sees them once again bring their perfectly pitched harmonies and soothing songs to an eager fan base.


Seán Laffey

THE COLOUR OF NIGHT ALBUM REVIEW

'Musically, it's a work of art: the vocal melodies and harmony are superb, and the accompaniments perfectly shadow the twists and turns of both melody and mood.'

FATEA Magazine

Named after Nine Barrow Down in Dorset's Purbeck hills, BBC Folk Award nominated duo Ninebarrow, aka Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere release, on the 1st of September, The Colour of Night, their fifth album. Eleven tracks, seven of them original, tending to the poetic rather than the punchy, with tight harmonies and a strong grasp of the melodic.

The opening track, a cover of Patrick Wolf's song House, employs tight harmonies and a warmly evocative cello and piano based arrangement to convey the time-honoured message that love makes a house into a home.

In Names in the Sky, Lee McKenzie's cello again helps shore up a dreamlike ambience as the harmonies weave what seems to be a kind of surreal lullaby - very sweet, very atmospheric.

Walk With Me, inspired by the duo's frequent countryside rambles, is described by them as "an ode to sharing some time - an hour or a few decades - with someone who makes your life better just by being there." A gentle cycle of piano arpeggios evokes the idea of rolling hills and seascapes. The underlying theme is that such experiences are best shared: "I could walk alone, but would you walk with me?"

 

There's an awareness and appreciation of nature that runs through this album. The next track, Among the Boughs, perfectly illustrates that as it depicts the wintry winds blowing through the trees giving way, as spring arrives, to the song of the blackbird.

Cast to the Waves similarly demonstrates a deep appreciation of the natural world. There have been so many environmentally preachy releases that have stressed the message at the expense of the medium, but Ninebarrow herein demonstrate a light and optimistic touch with their lyrics, allied to a lilting melody that sells the song as much as the message.

Seasonal changes are tied in with the cycles of human affection in Ninebarrow's take on the traditional Newcastle streetsong The Snows They Melt the Soonest (the mood for which is set by the paradoxically-titled instrumental Kitty's Song). It's their cover of the song, but it fits in so well thematically and melodically within this collection that it could have been written for it.

Jimmy MacCarthy from Cork wrote Ride On - probably most famous for Christy Moore's version, and no-one has ever known for sure exactly what it's about. Is it about Shergar, the horse notoriously kidnapped by the IRA and never found, or is it about the love of the singer for someone who could never be his? Or a conflation of both? The duo's treatment of the song is warm and respectful to its emotional content, but given its omnipresence at every folk session in the land, perhaps a different choice of number would have had more original appeal.

Ten Miles by Two, another self-composition, could have jumped straight out of the traditional repertoire of 19th century workers' songs, as it celebrates the hard work of the Purbeck quarrymen and the scant respect their labours earned them.

The title track, The Colour of Night, was inspired by a nightime vigil in the Ninebarrow Woodland. It suggests that the vibrant colours of a garden during the day may be reflected by nameless nocturnal colours we cannot see and try to drown out with light.There's an obvious metaphor there for humanity's way of looking at the world and trying to bend it to our liking.

A far more interesting choice of cover than that of Ride On closes the album. Nick Drake's River Man has its underlying "To be or not to be" theme strongly elicited by a deliberately stumbling piano line that conjures the indecision at the heart of the song.

Whether the River Man of the title is a spirit of freedom, or Charon, boatman of the Underworld, is unclear, and the song can be interpreted in diverse ways. As the last track of the album, it's a masterful choice. Listeners have to decide for themselves if they are supposed to be drifting away on the music or delving into existential enquiry - an interesting coda to the preceding thematic balancing act of celebration of the natural world and the questioning of humanity's actions within it.

This is a very listenable album and also a very literate one. Evocative imagery and reference pepper the lyrics - which, in the case of both the covers and the originals, are strong and original. Musically, it's a work of art: the vocal melodies and harmony are superb, and the accompaniments perfectly shadow the twists and turns of both melody and mood.

Bob Leslie

A POCKET FULL OF ACORNS ALBUM REVIEW

'Perfectly timed and beautifully formed'

Spiral Earth

The new album from Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere marks an interesting stage in their journey as Ninebarrow. The enforced isolation of lockdown has encouraged self reflection for many of us, whether by purpose or not. Jon and Jay had a stark realisation of the carbon footprint that their touring was responsible for – a realisation aided by a nerdy determination to work it all out with spreadsheets!

Rather than acknowledging the fact and moving solemnly on, they planted 1,000 trees in a field in Dorset. As a reparation to the land that they love it is a wise and touching move, for these guys, that is totally in character.

 

So A Pocket Full Of Acorns really sounds like an album born of reflection and introspection, the acorn of the title song tying neatly into their own nascent woodland. It comes from the story of Vice-Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood, Lord Nelson’s second-in-command at the Battle of Trafalgar, who carried acorns in his pocket to plant when out walking. His aim was to ensure wood for the warships of future generations. He knew that the oak was a finite resource, even though the seeds he planted wouldn’t be mature until he was long gone, yet he knew it was important to do so. For the duo, “The story really touched us. The notion of using one’s time on earth to help secure a future for those who come after us seems to have been lost in modern times.”

Their signature harmonies cast a net around the listener, gently lulling you into their world. As a reflection of the world we are living in right now it is pretty spot on, a sense of melancholy infuses the album, a sense of being caught in a liminal state between worlds. Don’t get me wrong, melancholy is delicious when it is done well, and Ninebarrow do it just right.

In this barren time for live gigs, the album has taken on a new significance. We are almost bound to listen to it alone, whether at home or accompanied through headphones on a walk. An intimate companion in bleak times – A Pocket Full Of Acorns is perfectly timed and beautifully formed.

Iain Hazlewood

A POCKET FULL OF ACORNS ALBUM REVIEW

'This is a superb record, which is a demonstration of two musicians at their very best.' 

Northern Sky

I really shouldn’t be surprised at the quality of this album, having heard all the duo’s back catalogue and having caught one or two of their festival sets over the last few years, but in a strange way I am.  This is a superb record, which is a demonstration of two musicians at their very best.  The fourth album by Dorset’s Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere, otherwise known as Ninebarrow, is released in exceptional times, yet the quality of the arrangements and the delivery is exceptional.  “Under the Fence”, a derivative of the traditional “Cold Haily Windy Night” is both dramatic and atmospheric as it draws our attention to not only the duo’s dove-tailed voices and instrumental prowess, but also to their hand picked collaborators, Evan Carson on percussion, Lee Mackenzie on cello and John Parker on double bass.  If “Come January” had been released in 1970, it would probably have been considered for Simon and Garfunkel’s final studio album, to sit comfortably alongside Paul Simon’s “The Only Living Boy in New York” and “The Boxer”, if that’s not being over complimentary.  Jon and Jay have a similar vocal communication, which is never taken for granted.  The assurance of the voices on the opening song is followed by a more fragile vocal that introduces “Nestledown”, which is both affecting and tender, evoking the fragility of the Dartford Warbler, which the song is a tribute to.  The well known “John Barleycorn” is treated to a fine unaccompanied intro, which with the assistance of Jon’s reed organ, maintains a hymnal quality throughout.  To top it all, Jon and Jay include a restrained shanty towards the end, “Farewell Shanty”, which will no doubt please those relishing in the sudden enthusiasm for such things, followed by “Sailor’s All”, which brings this remarkable album to a fine conclusion. 

A POCKET FULL OF ACORNS ALBUM REVIEW

'Strong songs with great melodies - a very classy album' 

★★★★

R2 Magazine

The fourth album by Ninebarrow: Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere - is another high quality collection inspired by nature and the Dorset landscape. Their magical harmonies and sensitive use of guitar and reed organ are supported by the excellent Ninebarrow Band: Lee
N4ackenz e (cello), John Parker (double bass) and Evan Carson (percussion).

A Pocket Full of Acorns is packed full of fine songs, five of which were written by Jon and Jay. Particularly strong are 'Under The Fence', a poignant rewrite of 'Cold Hailey Rainy Night' for helpless migrants, and 'A Pocket Full Of Acorns' tells of Admiral Nelson's second-in-command, who spread acorns wherever he could to grow more oaks for ship building: a still relevant greening message.

Two songs are inspired by Dorset poet William Barnes, with words translated from the local dialect into English and new tunes. 'Hey John Barleycorn' and 'Farewell Shanty' are nice versions of well I known traditional songs. Final track ‘Sailors All', from the pen of Ewen
Carruthers via Mike Silver carries the sentiment that we're a in this together. 


This is a lovely parting shot to a very classy album, in which strong songs with great melodies are given the benefit of Mark Tucker's peerless production. 
 

A POCKET FULL OF ACORNS ALBUM REVIEW

'This is a perfectly lovely album, perfect and lovely in every note, full of close harmonies that shine and meld into one beautifully haunting voice.'

EDS Magazine (The EFDSS)

There is more to say about that title than it being just the album's title. Dorset duo Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere are planting The Ninebarrow Woodland, which is intended to offset the environmental impact of their touring (see page 10 for more about this); a 'pocket full of acorns', planted in home soil, much as these songs have been planted to grow on this album.


This is a perfectly lovely album, perfect and lovely in every note, full of close harmonies that shine and meld into one beautifully haunting voice.

 

The personal and musical alchemy here goes deep and is fully on show in the three opening numbers, all originals: Come January, Nestledown and Under The Fence. The first song is typical, heart-bruising prettiness wrapped around a core of melancholy. The title track was inspired by the life of Vice-Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood, who carried acorns whenever he went, planting seeds as he rambled. Zunshine In Winter, drawn from the writing of Dorset dialect poet William Barnes, is another delight.

 

Cellist Lee Mackenzie, double bassist John Parker and percussionist Evan Carson add further layers to the Ninebarrow soundscape.


Julian Cole

A POCKET FULL OF ACORNS ALBUM REVIEW

'If I was asked to vote for my favourite record so far this year, I’d vote for this. Their outstanding harmonies, high production values, poetic lyricism, and magical instrumentalism are simply remarkable.'

★★★★★

Folk/Tumble

If there was a prize for the most beautifully packaged album, I’d vote for this. If I was asked to vote for my favourite record so far this year, I’d vote for this. With its accompanying song book, artistic photography, and artwork, you could be mistaken for thinking that it belies the quality of the product – but Ninebarrow’s 'A Pocket Full Of Acorns' is pure quality.

Their harmonies are utterly exquisite – not since listening to Simon and Garfunkel records as a child have I heard harmony as classy as this. What strange alchemy is this? Another reviewer described them as two halves of one voice, and it’s uncanny – that’s precisely what it is – as if two soul friends met and made music.

This is my first introduction to Ninebarrow – the Dorset duo John Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere. This is the fourth album by the former GP and teacher, turned full-time musicians. 2020 was not the year the duo had planned, but they took the time to perfect their craft. Mellow, warm, reflective, steeped in the natural landscape of their native Dorset and surrounds, this is English folk at its firmest roots.

Their outstanding harmonies, high production values, poetic lyricism, and magical instrumentalism are simply remarkable. The opening track ‘Come January’ just captured my heart, while ‘Nestledown’ is a sad, mournful lyrical ballad lamenting the endangered Dartford Warbler.

This 11 track album is a combination of mainly original tracks and traditional English folk songs such as ‘Hey John Barleycorn’. With poetic references, inspirations, and true folk hero stories as muse, their creativity is fired and forced intelligently and intricately – with multi-instrumentalists Jon and Jay filling every space with the richest textures and hues.

‘Zunshine In The Winter’ really sums up the soft, still, dying light of a December day. Beautiful work altogether. The title track ‘A Pocket Full Of Acorns’, in true folk style, is based on an inspirational true story about Vice-Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood – Nelson’s second in command at the Battle of Trafalgar. The ships in the time of the Napoleonic Wars were built from mighty oaks and Collingwood was concerned that forests were being depleted. He took to carrying acorns in his pockets, planting the seeds in suitable places as he went about his business. Such foresight as we struggle to protect the planet for future generations.

Their love of nature, rambling, the stark and wild nature of the lesser cultivated English countryside is their muse, with the occasional hark to the Morris tunes and traditional melodies, to sea shanties and rolling waves.

‘A Pocket Full Of Acorns’ comes highly recommended. This one’s a keeper for sure – but if you wish to hear them “live” – there’s  special streamed launch show planned for Saturday 13th March 2021. Full details on www.ninebarrow.co.uk.

A POCKET FULL OF ACORNS ALBUM REVIEW

'With A Pocket Full of Acorns, Ninebarrow have once again produced a spell-binding album'

Bright Young Folk

Dorset duo Ninebarrow have always been interested in promoting green culture, and their fourth album A Pocket Full of Acorns is another step in this direction. Coming from one of the greenest counties of Britain, they have gathered a number of traditional songs and original material, mostly concerning nature, all arranged in their idiosyncratically meticulous style.

The title for this work was inspired by the story of Horace Nelson’s vice-admiral, Sir Cuthbert Collingwood, who used to carry acorns in his pocket to plant trees in every favourable place in order to offset the loss of native woodlands caused by the construction of new war ships. The title track, perhaps the most striking among the eleven on this album, is the perfect example of how Ninebarrow manage to portray the beauty of their native land while expressing their thoughts on contemporary themes.

The album opens with two tracks, namely Come January and Nestledown, which immediately introduce the delicate and mature sound this duo showcases on this release. Under the Fence is a song denouncing the indifference towards the tragedies of mass migrations displayed by institutions around the world.

But this is not the only protest song on A Pocket Full of Acorns. Cry Unity, by far the most energetic track on this album, is a song against overdevelopment and the illogical and damaging proliferation of buildings that risks to suffocate nature all around the world.

Gentle and multi-layered arrangements on piano, guitar, tenor mandola and harmonium set the stage for heartfelt renditions of old material such as the Elizabethan classic Hey John Barleycorn and the evergreen Farewell Shanty, or for modern songs such as Teignmouth and the evocative Sailors All, which closes the album in a lyrical way.

Even the subtle harmonies their voices produce are worth praising as they incorporate elements from a variety of other acoustic music genres. Just like the settings, they transport the listener through dainty soundscapes suspended between the redolent beauty of their region and a mature awareness of our place in a fragile environment.

With A Pocket Full of Acorns, Ninebarrow have once again produced a spell-binding album and promoted an agreeable vision for a greener future, a project they are actively pursuing with the creation of the new forest they are planting in North Dorset to offset the carbon footprint they have left with their touring activity over the years.

Michele Mele

A POCKET FULL OF ACORNS ALBUM REVIEW

'They really do go the extra acres in everything they do. Ninebarrow are a class act, they treat their fans like their friends, and richly deserve the love and affection they receive in response. This is an album that expresses the passion that they have for life and the care they exude for the natural world. From small acorns, they have grown into mighty oaks.'

Folk Radio UK

 

Dorset duo Ninebarrow delight once again with their fourth full-length album, a classy collection that plays to their strengths: heartfelt original songs, traditional folk and fine covers. And, of course, their ‘to-die-for’ harmonies that soar them among the top flight of contemporary British folk acts.

Back in April 2016, I interviewed Jon Whitley (vocals, ukulele, tenor and octave mandola, piano and reed organ) and James LaBouchardiere (vocals and reed organ) for Folk Radio. Apart from being jolly nice and very talented chaps, they also had big dreams. Their musical ambitions and early success prompted them to quit their day jobs and pursue recording and performing full-time. ‘In a perfect world we’d love to do lots of gigs,’ said James. And that’s what they did… until the perfect world came to a sudden lockdown early last year.

But they seized opportunity out of the crisis and set about staging some of the most sophisticated and inventive online gigs around. By doing so, they managed to keep their fanbase entertained and engaged whilst picking up a few more ‘Barrow Bods’ on the way.

And to consolidate this success, they have released possibly their strongest, definitely their most ambitious album to date. Last year should have seen the launch of the Ninebarrow band – another ambition they excitedly told me about five years ago – expanding their lineup to include Lee Mackenzie on cello, John Parker on double bass and Evan Carson on percussion. The tour wasn’t to be but the band’s talents add an extra sparkle to many of the tracks on A Pocket Full of Acorns.

The standout band lineup track, Cry Unity, comes three-quarters of the way in. It’s a rollicking stomp, a call to arms based on a William Barnes poem, but adapted for our troubled current times. It certainly has more grit than much of Ninebarrow’s earlier material and presents a welcome new direction. Something to look forward to when the band tour finally happens…

But there is also much to enjoy from the classic Ninebarrow approach: tasteful and evocative musical arrangements topped off with gorgeous harmonies. A standout for me was Nestledown, it’s a song about the turning of the seasons, inspired by the life of the Dartford Warbler. James takes lead vocals and it’s an opportunity for him to shine, backed by Jon’s evocative mandola plucking and vocals.

Like all of Ninebarrow’s albums, the standard CD version only offers part of the picture. To accompany the album is a lavish 32-page Songbook (available separately). Not only does it include stunning photos to illustrate each song, but also full lyrics and insights into the stories and creative process.

Under The Fence is sure to become a Ninebarrow classic. It weaves the traditional Cold, Haily, Windy Night with the contemporary issue of Syrian migrants seeking refuge from brutal conflict in their home country. The Songbook reveals the origins of the song, formed when the pair watched a documentary about life in a refugee camp in Calais.

The title track is a beautiful song both in its construction and intent. It was inspired by the story of Vice-Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood (Lord Nelson’s right-hand man in the Napoleonic wars) who lamented the loss of oak trees cut down to build the British fleet. So Collingwood took to carrying acorns with him in his pocket to plant and replenish the stock.

But it’s not just a song of historical interest, the story challenged the duo to consider how they could offset their touring carbon footprint. And alongside creating the song, Jon and James are planting (even as I write this review) a three-acre field of saplings in Dorset, including 500 oaks alongside hundreds of other native trees.

The Ninebarrow Woodland tells you everything you need to know about these remarkable human beings. They really do go the extra acres in everything they do. Ninebarrow are a class act, they treat their fans like their friends, and richly deserve the love and affection they receive in response. This is an album that expresses the passion that they have for life and the care they exude for the natural world. From small acorns, they have grown into mighty oaks.

A Pocket Full of Acorns is released today (5th March) on the Winding Track label on (CD and DL format), available from the Ninebarrow website www.ninebarrow.co.uk

A POCKET FULL OF ACORNS ALBUM REVIEW

'A Pocket Full Of Acorns, is a real almanac of an album, a mash up of history, geography and nature and still manages to find time to reflect the human condition. If that sounds a lot for an album to carry, it is, but Ninebarrow do it so well.' Fatea Magazine

Like the arrival of spring and hearing the first cuckoo of the year, there is always a sense of anticipation around a new Ninebarrow album and "A Pocket Full Of Acorn" is no exception. Like the year, starts with "January" and makes its way to a farewell, the "Farewell Shanty" and then an encore in the delightful "Sailors All".

As with its predecessors, "A Pocket Full Of Acorns" comes with it's own songbook, but unlike its predecessors its also going to plant a thousand tree wood in Jon (Whitley) and James' (LaBouchardiere) home county of Dorset, not only paying off the carbon debt, but also recognising the inspiration the land and people have been in Ninebarrow's music and after which they are named.

Most of the songs and all the arrangements come from within the band, making sure that where a piece has inspired, the inspiration is captured and not copied, adopted into the Ninebarrow way rather than simply covered. It also means that where the narrative drops into dialect, such as on "Zunshine In The Winter" it feels spot on, rather than twee.

Joining Jon and Jay on "A Pocket Full Of Acorns", is regular contributor Lee Mackenzie and his cello Godfrey, percussionist Evan Carson and bass maestro John Parker. I was lucky enough to catch that line up not long before lockdown one so can attest as to the loss that the cancelation of that tour was, because they sounded stunning. Fortunately through the desk work of Matt Taylor, they really have managed to capture that sound and spirit on the album. Whilst on the subject of credits, also a nod towards Jon's sister Sarah, who delivers the album artwork.

The band sound gives this album a feel of evolution, appropriate from the county that gave the world the theory. There's noticeably less reed organ across the album with more deeper, resonant songs, that give the vocal harmonies more drive to contrast against the more trademark numbers it works fantastically well, at times this is a real foot tapper of an album.

Make no mistake, "A Pocket Full Of Acorns", is a real almanac of an album, a mash up of history, geography and nature and still manages to find time to reflect the human condition. If that sounds a lot for an album to carry, it is, but Ninebarrow do it so well.

Neil King

A POCKET FULL OF ACORNS ALBUM REVIEW

'This album is likely to be seen as their best to date, no mean feat given the strength of their previous three albums. A folk album of the year, and indeed any year' Get Ready To Rock

★★★★½

Named after Nine Barrow Down in the Purbeck hills of Dorset, one of England’s most southern counties, Ninebarrow is a duo of Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere. Joined by Lee MacKenzie (cello), John Parker (double bass) and Evan Carson (percussion). The album will be released on their website on March 5th 2021.


This is an album of sensitive songs, sumptuous harmonies, and restrained accompaniment principally on keyboards and various strings. Féted by the great and good of the UK folk scene, garnering accolades from Kate Rusby and Mike Harding, each citing the duo’s way with words and their ability to write new songs in old idioms.  The title track a Pocket Full of Acorns was inspired by the realization that their touring had created a huge carbon footprint. To counter this they were given a 3-acre field to plant up as a future forest. Carrying a pocket full of acorns is a long tradition, planting then randomly, ensuring that there will be life-giving oaks in the world. Zunshine in Winter, a dialect poem set to music, speaks of hope of a coming spring. Hey John Barleycorn is the eternal story of the triumph of the little everyman against the odds of time, told in simple tale of ale, where the rise of the smallest grain becomes a lifesaver, which it certainly was before water was fit to drink. Their native Dorset is a place of ports and of embarkation, the longing for the dream beyond the limpid horizon, haunting those who tread the paths above the chalky cliffs of Purbeck Limestone. Aptly Ninebarrow include two sea songs here, an a-capella Sailor’s Farewell Shanty and an accompanied Sailor’s All, which says we are all sailors until we find our own safe harbour.


For Ninebarrow’s new folk songs tell it like it is, their mastery of metaphor and music, their awareness of their own places and their impact not only on the souls of their fans but on the planet itself makes this music that is very 2021.


Seán Laffey

A POCKET FULL OF ACORNS ALBUM REVIEW

'Their mastery of metaphor and music, their awareness of their own places and their impact not only on the souls of their fans but on the planet itself makes this music that is very 2021.' Irish Music Magazine

Named after Nine Barrow Down in the Purbeck hills of Dorset, one of England’s most southern counties, Ninebarrow is a duo of Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardiere. Joined by Lee MacKenzie (cello), John Parker (double bass) and Evan Carson (percussion). The album will be released on their website on March 5th 2021.


This is an album of sensitive songs, sumptuous harmonies, and restrained accompaniment principally on keyboards and various strings. Féted by the great and good of the UK folk scene, garnering accolades from Kate Rusby and Mike Harding, each citing the duo’s way with words and their ability to write new songs in old idioms.  The title track a Pocket Full of Acorns was inspired by the realization that their touring had created a huge carbon footprint. To counter this they were given a 3-acre field to plant up as a future forest. Carrying a pocket full of acorns is a long tradition, planting then randomly, ensuring that there will be life-giving oaks in the world. Zunshine in Winter, a dialect poem set to music, speaks of hope of a coming spring. Hey John Barleycorn is the eternal story of the triumph of the little everyman against the odds of time, told in simple tale of ale, where the rise of the smallest grain becomes a lifesaver, which it certainly was before water was fit to drink. Their native Dorset is a place of ports and of embarkation, the longing for the dream beyond the limpid horizon, haunting those who tread the paths above the chalky cliffs of Purbeck Limestone. Aptly Ninebarrow include two sea songs here, an a-capella Sailor’s Farewell Shanty and an accompanied Sailor’s All, which says we are all sailors until we find our own safe harbour.


For Ninebarrow’s new folk songs tell it like it is, their mastery of metaphor and music, their awareness of their own places and their impact not only on the souls of their fans but on the planet itself makes this music that is very 2021.


Seán Laffey

 

A POCKET FULL OF ACORNS ALBUM REVIEW

'What underlies everything they do is an amazing attention to detail. Although it's early days I can't see it not being in my top 10 albums of the year come next December' Shire Folk

On a recent BBC2 Folk Show, Mark Radliffe said Jon Whitley and Jay LaBouchardière, aka Ninebarrow, had possibly gained more followers and fans in lockdown than if they had played a whole summer of gigs and festivals. This may seem a strange statement, but I think Mark is correct.

 

Not content with playing a few songs in front of their bookcase, they turned their living room in Poole into a folk club, playing two 45-minute sets with a 20-minute interval (annoyingly there was no raffle!). Then they did an outdoor festival gig on a farm in the pouring rain just to give the full festival effect. Their next gig was recorded in a local church with enough candles to run the national grid for several days. And to top it off there was a full band gig at the Lighthouse Centre in Poole. Add to this they have been writing their second book of Dorset walks, offering a framing service for Jay’s wonderful photos and producing a calendar of Dorset pictures, which I have next to my desk as I write this (I did buy it I might add; there was no bribery involved!). Sadly their Dorset-based musical/walking holidays that were arranged for the summer had to be cancelled, but as you can see, the duo have been very busy.

 

What underlies everything they do is an amazing attention to detail. Ask any promoter who has booked them and their sound checks are done with the utmost care and precision tailored with great thought for the venue they are in. All this spills over into the recording of A Pocketful of Acorns, their fourth album release.

 

I suppose you could say it follows a similar pattern to the other three in that there are songs about Dorset, its landscape and its folklore, along with others about the seasons and their love of walking. There are the perfect harmonies and the use of their two reed organs (named Oliver Reed and Wheezy Anna). Some of the songs are again based on the poems, verses or ideas of the poet William Barnes. However, just like that other excellent duo Show of Hands, they are not afraid to experiment and try new things. There is certainly more of Jon’s piano across the whole album, but the major change here is the introduction of the ‘Ninebarrow Band’.

 

Adding their considerable talents to the album are Lee McKenzie (cello), John Parker (double bass) and Evan Carson (percussion). It’s a well-known fact in folk music that if you don't have either Evan Carson or Boo Hewerdine playing on your album you are liable to be arrested by the folk police! The ‘band’ come together brilliantly on ‘Cry Unity’, which is another song that started life as a verse in an anthology of William Barnes’s poetry.

 

The pace of the album varies with each track and the title track, ‘A Pocketful of Acorns’, is a beautiful ballad and a version of ‘Hey John Barleycorn’ is sure to become a favourite sing-along song in their live act. The best track for me is ‘Under the Fence’. Using the tune and some of the lyrics of ‘Cold Haily Windy Night’, the song tells of the plight of refugees in the camps in Calais trying to get ‘under the fence’ to start the perilous journey to England. It’s a very clever piece of writing.

 

As always, the cover artwork by Jon’s sister Sarah is superb and my version came with a fully illustrated songbook full of Jay’s pictures of Dorset – again, attention to detail.

 

This album, which comes out on 5 March, will be played a lot in the Hobbs household in 2021. Although it’s early days I can’t see it not being in my top ten albums of the year come next December.

Graham Hobbs

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