Forgotten Kingdom

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Forgotten Kingdom
Studio album by
Released19 February 2016
RecordedDevon, England
GenreFolk
singer songwriter
Length68:07
LabelHands on Music
ProducerMark Tucker
Jim Causley chronology
Cyprus Well
(2013)
Forgotten Kingdom
(2016)
The Clay Hymnal
(2016)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Mojo Magazine[1][full citation needed]
The Guardian[2]
BBC Music Magazine[3][full citation needed]
Folk Radio UK[4]
Bright Young Folk[5]
The Living Tradition[6]
R2 (Rock'n'Reel)[7][full citation needed]

Forgotten Kingdom is folk singer-songwriter Jim Causley's fifth studio album excluding his work with The Devil's Interval and Mawkin:Causley.

Forgotten Kingdom is Causley's first album of entirely self-written material although does include references to traditional song throughout. It was intended to celebrate ten years since the release of Causley's debut album Fruits of the Earth in 2005 but the release was delayed due to poor health on the part of original producer Phil Beer. Production of the album was then completed by Show of Hands regular producer Mark Tucker at The Green Room studios in East Devon.

Forgotten Kingdom is Causley's most ambitious solo recording project to date and has the largest line-up of guest musicians of any of his albums. This guests include many well known names from the British folk scene who happen to be based in Devon such as Seth Lakeman and Show of Hands as well as some local stalwarts of the more traditional folk music scene in the county. The theme of the album centres on the history of Devon and its neighbouring counties but also looks at Causley's own personal connection to the county and his experience of growing-up within it. The "forgotten kingdom" alluded to in the title is the Celtic Brythonic kingdom of Dumnonia which Causley previously referenced in his 2011 album; Dumnonia which was a collection of traditional songs from Devon. Not all of the songs on Forgotten Kingdom have a traditional folk feel to them and several hint at Causley's songwriting having more modern and expansive influences.

The album received highly positive reviews from The Guardian,[2] BBC Music Magazine and fRoots[8] among others, as well as airplay on radio shows such the Mark Radcliffe Folk Show on BBC Radio 2 and the Tom Robinson show on BBC Radio 6 Music. Writing in fRoots, Colin Irwin confirmed his previously stated opinion that Causley is "the finest singer of his generation".[9]

Track listing[edit]

All songs by Jim Causley.

  1. "Gabbro Bowl / The Peninsula Prayer" – 4:53
  2. "Back in the Day" – 4:20
  3. "Banks of the Tale" – 4.04
  4. "The Road to Combebow" – 3:24
  5. "Rewind" – 4:23
  6. "Home" – 4:07
  7. "This Weekend" – 4:31
  8. "Pride of the Moor" – 3:48
  9. "Summer's End" – 5:28
  10. "The Man You Know" – 2:53
  11. "Reigning Men" – 5:18
  12. "Goodnight Ballad" – 6:33
  13. "Illogan Highway" – 7:01
  14. "The Pastoria" – 5:49
  15. "Sea Sick" – 2:48

Personnel[edit]

  • Jim Causley – accordion, piano, vocals
  • James Dumbelton – acoustic guitar, vocals
  • Becki Driscoll – fiddle, viola, vocals
  • Nick Wyke – fiddle, octave-violin, vocals
  • Phil Beer – fiddle, guitar, laud, vocals
  • Steve Knightley – mandola, vocals
  • Phillip Henry – dobro, chaturangi
  • Hannah Martin – fiddle
  • Miranda Sykes – double bass
  • Rex Preston – mandolin
  • Kathryn Roberts – piano, organ, vocals
  • Seth Lakeman – bouzouki
  • Katy Marchant – shawm, flageolet, English bagpipes
  • Steve Tyler – hurdy-gurdy
  • Matt Norman – mandolin, fiddle, banjo, bass banjo
  • Mark Bazeley – melodeon
  • Reese Wesson – cajun melodeon
  • Lukas Drinkwater, guitar, double bass, vocals
  • Jackie Oates – fiddle
  • Chris Hoban – vocals

Ninebarrow

  • Jon Whitley – vocals
  • Jay LaBouchardiere – vocals

The Claque

  • David Lowry – vocals
  • Bill Crawford – vocals
  • Tom Addison – vocals
  • Barry Lister – vocals

Production[edit]

  • Executive Producer – Jim Causley
  • Producer – Mark Tucker
  • Recording Engineers – Mark Tucker, Phil Beer and Sean Lakeman
  • Audio Mixing – Mark Tucker
  • Audio Mastering – Mark Tucker
  • Recording locations – Lions Rest Industrial Estate, Exminster, Devon; The Green Room Studios, Upottery, Devon and Crediton Congregational Church (The Pastoria)
  • Photography – David Angel
  • Packaging & Inlay design – Brad Waters
  • Costume – Hilary Gillespie
  • Photography locations – Dumnonii Chronicles Village and Exeter Cathedral

References[edit]

  1. ^ "MOJO". {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  2. ^ a b Denselow, Robin (9 March 2016). "Jim Causley review – spearheading the West Country folk revival with jaunty wit". The Guardian.
  3. ^ "Classical-Music.com – The official website of BBC Music Magazine". {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  4. ^ Gregory, Helen (9 February 2016). "Jim Causley: Forgotten Kingdom – Featured Album Review". Folk Radio UK.
  5. ^ Rainey, Shelley. "Jim Causley – Forgotten Kingdom". Bright Young Folk.
  6. ^ Schofield, Nigel. "JIM CAUSLEY – Forgotten Kingdom". The Living Tradition (review). No. 113.
  7. ^ "R2 (Rock'n'Reel) Magazine". {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  8. ^ Irwin, Colin (April 2016). "Jim Causley – Forgotten Kingdom". fRoots (review). No. 394. p. 79.
  9. ^ Irwin, Colin (July 2016). "Jim Fixes It". fRoots (feature article). No. 397. pp. 28–33.