THE REVELLERS – Skeletons (The Revellers REV12345678)

skeletonsA normal drive to work, a quiet day and you slip a CD into the player, which then explodes with raw energy.  That is the impact upon first hearing the Revellers second album Skeletons.  The Revellers are a seven piece band from the Shetlands who mix folk lyrics, banjos and mandolins with rock and punk influenced music to produce something that is none of the above, but different.  Comparisons with The Levellers, whom they have supported on tour, are valid but this is not in any way a tribute act and there’s also the energy of early punk  at its best best and most lyrical.

The opening track, ‘Excuse This Scene, sets out the stall with plenty of throbbing rock and clever lyrics about a band trying to make it and having to decide where and when to compromise and there’s a feeling this song was perhaps inspired by modern talent shows.

Write then play then rewrite,
Play and then rehearse then play,
Or you can get the look right,
Don’t let melodies get in the way.

There’s plenty of power here and ‘Get Away even includes a count in of ‘wun, too, wun too, free, faw’ but this is no bunch of one-chord wonders. This particular track is one of the shortest on the album but has some great driving fiddle and banjo and they are certainly skilled musicians who produce a tight sound.  The title track ‘Skeletons is, perhaps, from a more traditional folk base lead by the fiddle and banjo but again with an electric backing and lyrics that demonstrate folk belongs just as much in the modern urban environment as in history.

Unused cranes and the falling pound,
Brick through pane in a one-horse town,
Rush of blood and a scent of fear,
Evacuate me outta here.

This album consists of twelve songs, all written by various members of the band, and is a great advert for an outfit who have the potential to be around for a long time.  I hope it gets heard by festival organisers as the video clips available suggest they are a dynamic live act worth seeing.

The album is available from the band’s website as a physical copy, or from various sources as both CD and download.

Tony Birch

Artist’s website: http://www.the-revellers.com/

‘The Glass Is Never Empty’ – live. An old song but a new video:


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