Fate The Juggler – One Eye Open (Red Admiral)

1eyeopenOne Eye Open begins with what sounds like a reed organ but could be a flute and some electronics. It’s very sixties but as the song, ‘Blasphemy’, begins it’s suddenly bang up to date and it’s in that tension that part of the appeal of the album lies

This is the Kentish* band’s second album; their first, The Ghost Of Beauty Lost, appeared in late 2010 and I’m struggling to find a meaningful comparison with anyone else. The basic feel is rather pastoral but there is fuzzy guitar from Dan Masters – particularly effective on ‘The Time – The Place’ – playful banjo from Chris Lea and lead singer and songwriter Robert Spiers and dark clarinet from Linze Maesterosa. There’s jazz-influenced acoustic guitar on ‘How Can It Be’ and all manner of percussion from Kirsteen Bristow.

For convenience Fate The Juggler have been labelled folk-rock but they are only folk in the sense that they have an acoustic guitar and only rock because they have an electric, too. Spiers’ songs could slot into any genre from country to reggae and the band has avoided the strait-jacket of folk-rock conventions. They do allow themselves the indulgence of long(ish) instrumental passages and I can imagine ‘The Crown’ stretching out to fifteen minutes in the summer sunshine of a festival. There is also a non-album single, ‘Her Auburn Hair’ and I might even forgive them the dreaded hidden track for such a delightful album.

Dai Jeffries

*Before anyone writes in, I know that Fate The Juggler are from east of the Medway and therefore Men and Maids Of Kent but it’s a bit of a mouthful.

Artists’ website: http://www.fatethejuggler.com/

Hear the single, ‘Her Auburn Hair’, and look at some pretty pictures: