Tag: The Traveller’s Cloak

Peter & Jane are a duo from East Anglia and The Traveller’s Cloak would appear to be their third album. Using their given names gives Mr and Mrs Reeves a certain homespun quality which suits their music – a mixture of original compositions and traditional pieces. Peter plays guitar and banjo while Jane plays flute, whistles, recorder and small pipes and both sing although, on balance, Jane handles the lion’s share of the lead vocals.

The opener, ‘Boreas’, begins with Peter’s banjo heralding their inclination towards Americana but the song is based on a Greek myth about a challenge between Boreas and Helios with the titular cloak playing a central role. Bluegrass and ancient myths – seems legit – but the message that persuasion is more effective than brute force is one that should be heeded in these troubled times. ‘The Young Man Who Wouldn’t Hoe Corn’ is a familiar traditional song in which Peter adds drum to his repertoire.

Now comes another change of tack with ‘A Tale From Spartylea’, written by Peter and Jane around a real place – an old mining village – and real people but an entirely fictional story from the 19^th century. ‘Drummond Castle’ is traditional Scottish jig performed as a guitar and flute duet at a stately pace that would suit an elegant drawing room. ‘And Now Your Time Has Come’ is the first really modern song about someone at the lowest point of their life. Peter switches to DADGAD tuning for this one but I wish the lyrics were clearer.

Peter and Jane take ‘Hard Times Come Again No More’ rather too fast for my taste. If slowed down too much it can become a dirge but in the middle there’s a tempo that accurately reflects the pragmatism I find in the song. ‘Fire Water’ and ‘Warm Sky’ are two contrasting original songs – the first about the evils of drink and the second is just about grooving with music on a summer’s day. And speaking of grooving they next throw in a cover of Dock Boggs’ ‘Country Blues’ with what sounds like the deliberate addition of the sound of an old tape recorder being turned off at the end. A nice touch.

From the blues banjo Peter and Jane switch to the English tradition with a dreamy ‘Hares On The Mountain’ and back to the USA with a hard-edged take on ‘The Wagoner’s Lad’ which is probably my favourite track in the set. There are several versions of this old song from Carolina and it seems that Sarah McQuaid found the same one. Scott Skinner’s ‘Hector The Hero’ is also played as a stately guitar/flute duet to bring the official album to a close. There is a hidden bonus track, a fast banjo blues which may be called ‘Highup Blues’ although I haven’t managed to track down its origins yet.

The Traveller’s Cloak is an eclectic mix of sources and styles. In some ways it’s reminiscent of a vintage folk club set which may be why Peter and Jane are so successful at what they do.

Dai Jeffries

Artists’ website: https://www.peterandjane.co.uk/

‘Hard Times Come Again No More’ – informally live: