From deepest Herefordshire, ruralcore troubadours Heed The Thunder make a welcome return with their second full length album, the follow up to 2011 debut, All Those Black Years. 

 

Cokaigne, named for the mythical medieval land of plenty, features the same lyrical detail and carefully crafted layers of sound as its predecessor but, thanks to some tight post production work, delivers a slicker finish.

 

Lead single Blackest Night opens with the echoing twin vocals of lead singer Alex Gordon and multi-instrumentalist Kate Gathercole, before the vibrant finger picked guitar comes in. While Gordon’s voice is rich and natural in tone it truly comes to life when in harmony with Gathercole’s velvety and succulent vocals. The pair’s harmonies provide the warm beating heart of this record, providing the base for the layers of strings, trumpets and keys that are introduced along the way.

 

It’s a gentle start through the opening tracks but things start to come alive on Street Life. Four tracks in, it’s a slow building, deeply layered piece of art that grows a little more each time you hear it. Opening with purposeful acoustic strumming, the bursts of static and electrical distortion throughout give this track something different from what’s gone before; ever threating to bubble over, to truly explode, but always just holding back. It’s utterly masterful.

 

Drink Up And Go keeps up the pace whilst Will To Succeed is a sweet piece of pure Americana, with the two leads providing that honey like harmony against a background of strings and keys.

 

If there is a criticism, it's that whilst there is no doubt these songs are well crafted and beautifully written, there are very few true hooks to be found. On All Those Black Years, the excellent Precious One took you straight in and held you, forcing further listening and exploration. Cokaigne however delivers nothing so easily instant but is instead a slow burner. It demands you pay full attention but repeated listens are thoroughly rewarded

 

What does come through is the chemistry of the band and it’s none more evident than on penultimate track, Horrible Condition. A traditional style tavern shanty, Alex Gordon shows his playful side and it’s easy to picture mugs of ale raised high with every cry of 'Hey!'. 

 

Heed The Thunder span a multitude of genres and the music they make is rural and natural, multi-layered and beautifully composed. Cokaigne showcases a band enjoying each other’s company, making music and growing in strength and confidence.

 

https://heedthethunder.bandcamp.com/music

 

 

 

Review by Jon Birch