benjaminwetherill.co.uk

Praise for 'The Derby Ram' / 'I Would Love To' single (On The Bone Records, Feb 2008)

Everyone knows seven is a number of incalculable mathematical significance in terms of the cosmos. A magic number, some would say. How fitting, then, that ‘The Derby Ram’ by Benjamin Wetherill is the seventh release from Leeds’ tastefully realised On The Bone Records, themselves the seventh attempt by the labels’ seven owners to form a successful independent record label (artistic licence author’s own). It’s no surprise, then, to those comfortable around numbers, to learn that this marvellous release contains not one, but two copper-bottomed early 21st century folk oddities of a decidedly enticing and enchanting nature. ‘The Derby Ram’ fair reeks of reliable precedents: a young Brian Ferry, if he’d turned to folk instead of glam, gliding elegantly over handclaps, wind instruments and electric guitar. Apparently, Wetherill set out to capture his own take on a traditional English folk song with ‘The Derby Ram’, and in many ways he’s succeeded. The record’s flip, ‘I Would Love To’, is insanely inventive, utterly compelling, and infectiously addictive, mashing, as it does, George Formby, Acker Bilk and Noel Coward! On The Bone have gone off the map with this one, & where they’re going I have absolutely no idea, but if they’re playing Benjamin Wetherill’s debut LP on the tour-bus along the way, scheduled for release, incidentally, for later this very year, then I’m more than willing come along for the ride!

Generally the first adjective that comes to mind when trying to describe music is not 'historical'. But Benjamin Wetherill's music really wouldn't sound out of place at the court of Henry VIII. It's thoroughly English, jaunty folk music fit for the 21st century (and a King). His voice has a Simon & Garfunkel lilt and his records fill you with an uneasy desire to slip on a doublet and hose and dance a jig on a medieval banqueting table.

It's enchanting to the point that when he breaks into an inexplicable electric guitar solo half way through the record you barely even blink; such is the extent of your revelry. Unusual, unexpected and undecipherable, but just about wonderful enough that you're willing to suspend your disbelief – even if it's just for three minutes.

Let's clear a few things up: this doesn't exactly sound like your usual Single Of The Week - In fact, listening to 'The Derby Ram' feels a bit like eavesdropping on a mass baptism of some jazz musicians. With a voice like a bleating goat and a massively Puritan sounding folk arrangement, Benjamin sounds like he's come shooting straight out of the Deep South, but is peculiarly from Leeds, and not the normal sort of thing you'd find in the Top Ten - but this is just so darn charming. Layers of twee vocals, soprano sax, handclaps, electric guitar and whistling just makes you want to be the next one hurtling round the maypole, basically.

It's frankly unbelievable Benjamin Wetherill is a man making music in 2008. In Leeds. Immediately and enticingly he leads us to Derby marching and clapping through a carnival of percussion and brass and pure imagination. The Derby Ram takes overtly traditional English folk and puts it in a polka dot wash with Joanna Newsome.

It's unusual to hear covers of songs about a small midlands town and its' symbol of the male sheep, proving Wetherills talent for capivating his eclectic audiences with the romanticising and embellishment of seemingly lifeless subjects. Missing from the piece is a bass line, some might argue, however even the most hardened sceptics can't fail to be whisped up and spun around by the magical plethura of saxaphone and harmonies.

On the flipside, the pureness and honesty of 'I would love to' is enough to convince us that theres a future for Wetherill in scribing his thoughts to music. His voice is less contived here than the title track, and reminds us that singer/songwriter doesn't neccesarily mean dull, unimaginative whinging.

It would be quite easy to throw Benjamin Wetherill's name in the "freak folk" category often attached to the likes of Devendra Banhart, Joanna Newsom, Vashti Bunyan and Iron & Wine, but with Benjamin you always seem to get something refreshingly different. I mean, who else has the capacity to combine a mystifying sense of early 19th century with a 20th century outlook?

Following on from the several self-released CDs and compilation appearances, Benjamin Wetherill underlines his ability to craft something unique with the mesmerising single 'The Derby Ram'. Coming courtesy of Leeds label On The Bone, the local experimental folk star treats us to an extraordinary piece of music that consists of layered wind arrangements, light percussion and Benjamin's distinctive tremolo-laden vocal. On the flip, the charming ukulele driven "I Would Love To" offers a nice alternative to proceedings.

With a split 10" with David Thomas Broughton and (at least what seems!!) a long-awaited debut album scheduled for release this year, The Derby Ram does a very good job of wetting the appetite. Excellent.

Leed’s Arch-folk star delivers a wondrous mix of Neutral Milk Hotel & They Might Be Giants…

While not being a big fan of the new breed of folk stalking the venues just now I am a big fan of traditional folk, you know, the real stuff from way back when song was a form of mass communication in the mouth to mouth sense. So this single is right up my alley. Bonkers, totally individual, nice one Ben!

This is by far Wetherill’s most successful release yet, managing to perfectly capture but yet also integrate the two distinct sides of his musical identity which have emerged over the last couple of years. ‘The Derby Ram’ sees him once again gleefully exploring the possibilities offered by the studio, constructing a fascinating melange of percussion, brass, woodwind and looped harmony whilst never allowing any of it to detract from the natural intimacy of his wispy, tremulous voice or from his manifold strengths as a storyteller. ‘I Would Love To’ more vividly recalls Wetherill’s live persona, adorning a sweet, pared-back ukulele number with judicious piano and clarinet flourishes. It also contains one of the most laugh-out-loud funny lines I’ve ever heard committed to record, but you’ll have to buy it to find out what I mean.

One point to note is the fact that On The Bone Records are one of just a few new, exciting labels from Leeds (alongside the imaginative might of Brew Records). Following a noticeable increase in the number of their record releases, Benjamin Wetherill is next on their rather eclectic rosta.

Originally revealed to us here at MM in 2005 via the Gojonnygogogogo Favourites #1 compilation, “Woodland Whites & Spring Cuts” was the first wired outing from an artist that likes to do a bit of genre bending with his cleverly defined acoustica. “The Derby Ram” is bolstered by Wetherill's tremolo folk voice and a mixture of acoustic guitars, woodwind and generally all sorts of bits and pieces. But it’s “I Would Love To” with it’s semi-1920’s style and enchanting sense of mischievous melody, wrapped up into the most intriguing love song this side of the millennia, that delivers the convincing blow. Class material from the dark side of the Pennines.

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Is This Music?

Quintessential English gentleman, Benjamin Wetherill has a high, thin, shaky voice, but that doesn't stop him from creating a delicate, ramshackle song that can still pack a punch. Horns, handclaps and guitars jadedly rub against each other as soft smooth harmonies slide over Wetherill's warbling but result is absolutely wonderful. The B-side meanwhile reeks of nostalgia as ukuleles; clarinets and a honky-tonk piano straight out the 1940s come together in a jaunty little number complete with whistling

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Whisperin' & Hollerin'

Popular music never survives long without deep breaths of folk song. And without new treatments and new audiences even folksong can flicker and pale.

So when a meticulous, knowledgeable and creative young man like BENJAMIN WETHERILL gets hold of a hairy old classic like "The Derby Ram" there really can be no losers.

It's closer to The Waterson's version than to A.L. Lloyds (a very good thing too). But in keeping it down to six verses (rather than The Waterson's nine) there is more space in the generous three and half minutes to fill the air with a bewitching fantasy band of medieval inspiration and freak-folk mould-breaking.

There are ancient sounding reeds, pre-jug band percussion, bass, and handclaps (at least). On the choruses (just sing along) there are subtly added voices, softening WETHERILL'S distinctively light purity. And right in the middle there is the wonkiest electric guitar solo you are ever like to hear on a great single. It pings and falters like a rickety Prior on Buckfast Mead. Inspired I would say. Mournful, delicate, mind-altering.

It steps out on vinyl in company with a more exuberant 4 chord ukelele thing that dances sings and amuses like nobody's business. It’s called "I Would Love To" and very many surely would. It’s infectious, cheerful but still neatly perverse. It jauntily shows off some perfect plinky piano and daringly deploys some tuneful whistling. It’s the very best comedy - born of a deep love for Music Hall origins, and played with an unerringly straight bat.

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Howard Monk

I was dead scared that it had been overprodced. Ben is the kind of artist who needs just his voice and a guitar to take it all. So when I heard the tinkling rhythms, clapping, oboe (which I hear is in fact clarinet through an octave pedal) I was a mite worried it was going to ruin him. Then I played it again. And I can hardly stop. So you've got all the boxes ticked - Cowardesque English weirdness but a cracking chorus and a song which you cant forget. And you're walking round clapping along.

I would love to is the live favourite - mandolin song with the whistles yet this time with a lilting clarinet/oboe part behind it all, and a lovely second vocal harmonising.

I hear he's planning to do some shows with a band. I for one can't wait.

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Gazette Live (Teesside)

Ben's latest single The Derby Ram is a traditional English song given a completely fresh twist. With his Noel Coward-esque, delightfully phrased gentle warbling voice, Ben is accompanied by woodwind as well as electric guitars.

The amazing story of a giant ram is similar to our own local giant the Ketton Ox - you may know the pub that bears the name in Yarm. The Derby Ram, originally from around 1867, must contain one of the earliest football references as children were said to be kicking the poor beast's eyes: "To kick about the streets, sir, As any good football flies."

On the flip side, the self-penned number I Would Love To has a real '20s feel to it. A chirpy cheeky number, I could just picture the "skinny man" Benjamin serenading a lady at her table of an evening, playing his uke, looking longingly into her eyes, breaking her heart before moving on to the next table. Leading the hearts and minds astray, the cad, the bounder, the out and out tease.

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Audio Rodeo

This single shows shades of brilliance as 'Benjamin Wetherill' directs wind instruments, percussion, electric guitars, layered harmonies with sheer genius in what I can only call his best work to date. The 'Bone' show an ethos which appears quite clear to its audience of only releasing quality music by gleeming artists. Pick this up ASAP for it should leave the shelves of stores at an alarming rate.

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Sheffield Music

Suberb! Well, that sort of sums it up, really, so this is going to be a very short review! I've been listening to folk music (and even making hideous arrangements myself) for decades, and this is the first single I've ever put on permanent loop for over an hour....

Definitely not the stereotypical finger-in-ear stuff so popular in the 1970s, this is a truly entertaining, individualistic, up-to-date classic. Everything about it is great - the ultra-clear diction, the fun mix of sounds, the sort-of-music-hall presentation. Equally good for dancing to (though quiet, the rhythm becomes increasingly insistent the more you listen), or just listening to quietly: a versatile single from a versatile performer.

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Losing Today

Benjamin Wetherill 'The Derby Ram' (on the bone). Last featured in these pages with their stunning That Fucking Tank and Fran Rodgers releases which each and every home should have copies of. Starting the year as they mean to go on this fledging Leeds based imprint already have volume 2 of their 'on the bone' compilation (bugger we missed volume 1 - tut tut) tucked up their sleeves ands ready for March circulation. In the meantime there's this delicious spot of fancifully tuneage to fall headlong into. Already the proud parent of several self released outings (all of which we have to grumblingly admit we've somehow managed to miss) and with a planned split 10" with David Thomas Broughton (see missive 152) looming on the horizon courtesy of Birdwar records, Leeds based folkster Mr Wetherill has it seems been building himself a steady and loyal following. Limited to just 500 copies - and if there's any justice in this world - set to fly off the racks this dainty brace of cuts sees Wetherill applying his wistful artistry to one traditional folk fancy and one self penned gem. Beaming with warmth and a sense of idyllic breeziness his softly peppered reed laced interpretation of the classic ballad 'the derby ram' is a wonderfully conceived folly of lilting musicianship charmingly braided by bobbing brass arrangements (that strangely sound like they've been imported and sourced from the chain gang spirituals from the deep south to be flavoured with the essence of Beefheart) and some of the most disarmingly vocal quivers heard here since Feargal Sharkey stepped up to plate for the Undertones. Like nothing you've heard currently or for that matter for the rest of the year this delicately demurring appreciation of a tale inspired by the First Regiment of the Derby Militia's use of a ram as their mascot (or so the legend has it) will fill you with a glow and wondering why life couldn't always be as simple and untouched as this. Flip over for the equally inspired 'I would love to' - a banjo and clarinet caressing romp through your (great) grandparents dust covered 78rpm collection and something that frankly had you'd heard the late Mr Peel playing it as part of his Peelenium selections you wouldn't have batted an eyelid given that it sounds like its fallen through a time fracture straight from a pre war 'brimstone and treacle' styled musical. Essential feel good pop and deserved single of the missive.