Last updated
May 11 2011

Why films on TV in their original widescreen ratio is good for you

News & Views News Archive Announcements All About Us Email Dom Write 4 DVDfever Competitions Music Charts Music Chart Archive Games Chart Archive Cinema Chart Archive Cinema Releases Cinema Reviews Press Releases TV Issues Frank Sidebottom's World Wide Shed R2 DVD Reviews Blu-ray Reviews HD-DVD Reviews R1 DVD Reviews R3-6 DVD Reviews DVD List Xbox 360 Reviews CD Reviews Audiobook Reviews PS2 Reviews PSP Reviews Xbox Reviews Gamecube Revs GBA Reviews PC Reviews Hardware Revs Concert Reviews Video Reviews Comedy Reviews Book Reviews Screenplay Reviews Movie Downloads Interviews TV Shows PSX Reviews N64 Reviews Dreamcast Revs Laserdisc Revs Short Stories DVDs In Brief Right To Reply Why Widescreen? DVD Links Music Links WS Video List WS PAL LD List Me and my Aortic Valve!

Elly Roberts reviews

Seth Lakeman: Poor Man’s Heaven

Distributed by
Relentless Records

Released: June 2008

Rating: 6/10

Vote and comment on this album:

Poster Boy of Folk continues controversy.

For some time now, since the arrival of his 2004’s Kitty Jay and 2005 Mercury nominated debut, Devonian Seth Bernard Lakeman has set tongues wagging.

Folk purists are in a bit of a spin as to where his music actually lies. There were the Hip Hop nods on Gold selling follow-up Freedom Fields to compound things. To confirm he’d ‘arrived’ he was awarded Singer Of The Year and Best Album at 2007's BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

Poor Man’s Heaven is far more expansive and adventurous still. As the violinist of the moment, 31 year old Lakeman has bigger ideas – stadium engulfing power, with a twist.

His intent is there from the start – The Hurlers. Its thumping drum intro is the perfect stab start for a radio DJ’s opening shot. Soon the frantic violin kicks - in boosted by a whopping call.. "Come on boys you know where you stand…" on this Irish-tinged monster. The hooks are unrelenting. The rockier template continues Feather In The Storm, like much of his work, it includes story-telling traditions of folk.

The most noticeable inclusion here is the Jimmy Page styled slide guitar and Zep-like rock riff, which settles down into a neat Bluesy sway. Things go more trad for the next two. He introduces splashes of mandolin, accordion and harmonica (Crimson Dawn) though Blood Red Sky has a slightly rockier edge on ominous Blood Red Sky.

The sad tale of tragic event surrounding the ill-fated Penlee lifeboat are brought into sharp focus on Solomon Brown, intended to keep the story very much alive through his deeply emotive lyrics. Again Led Zep (3) influences surface for melodic ballad I’ll Haunt You, whereas Irish jig fuelled Race To Be King is a sprightly and bouncy full-on example of Lakeman’s mastery of folky playing.

For me the weak spots are the title track and laborious Green And Gold, though simple ballad Sound Of A Drum, a reworking of traditional song The Unquiet Grave, restores the balance, just.

File under: Keeps moving.

Weblink: sethlakeman.co.uk

The full list of tracks included are :

1. The Hurlers 2. Feather In A Storm 3. Crimson Dawn 4. Blood Red Sky 5. Solomon Brown 6. Cherry Red Girl 7. I’ll Haunt You 8. Race To Be King 9. Poor Man’s Heaven 10. Greed And Gold 11. Sound Of A Drum

Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.

As of April 2009, Blu-rays and DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TH-37PX80B 37" Plasma TV with a Sony BDP-1500 Blu-ray player and played through a Yamaha DSP-AX820 amplifier.

PC games reviewed by the editor are on: