Halcyon Days – 'Halcyon Days' Album Review

Track list:

1. Easily Beguiled

2. Halcyon Days

3. A Happy Blues

4. The Day Before

5. Three Steps

6. Land Of The Living

7. The Rat In My Garden

8. Saltwater

9. Time To Move On

10. I Still Miss Us

11. Tea & Biscuits

12. Ken

13. Oh How We Laughed

14. Tapestry

There is often a sense of dread when a friend hands you a CD and tells you they are part of it. In this case it is the first time producing and engineering. David is a talented musician, so I knew I was not going to be disappointed with the song quality, but producing an album is not an easy thing to get right, especially on a small budget in a home studio. Of course, I shouldn’t have worried, the album is an absolute gem.

'Halcyon Days' mixes British Folk with Americana seamlessly thanks in part to Christina and her silky-smooth voice and strings. Not only are the songs given space, but the instruments are given room to breathe. Pauls vocal style is reminiscent of Ralph McTell and his songwriting is gentle, beautiful heartfelt stuff. The album has a feel of “A Nod and A Wink” by Camel, while track four “The Day Before” reminds me so much of “Dear Bill” from Operation Mincemeat. Looking back on a life well-lived is the thread that runs through this collection, it is melancholic throughout but always with a gentle optimism. I love the theme of being kind, live and let live, even to small rodents in “The Rat in My Garden”, while songs like “I Still Miss Us” and “Ken” stop the album becoming a shmaltzy affair.

I have listened to this album so many times since David handed it to me, I would give you a list of my favourite songs, but I would just be listing the album tracks, there is not a duff track on the thing. To give due diligence I have listened to 'Halcyon Days' on my hi-fi where there is no room to escape and, in my car, where maybe bad production could show and it is equally at home on either. Knowing David is a bit of a perfectionist I shouldn’t have been surprised! I was amazed, however, when he told me the whole thing had been recorded on one microphone, that comment blew my mind. I wonder what these guys could do in a fully equipped studio.

Instrumentation needs a section all to itself, the instruments are given space, sound real, close your eyes and Paul, Christina and Dave are in the room with you, cup of tea by their side. It feels special, like you have been invited into the snug of a nice warm boozer to witness an event. I don’t have the technical language to convey just how good this album sounds; you will simply have to trust me. 'Halcyon Days' is bringing back so many memories for me, that is what I love most about it. It is storytelling but allows you to weave your own story into the songs, reminding me of “Bring the Happy by Hope & Social and The Invisible Flock. Hope & Social, Boss Caine, Louis Barabbas and Paul Lidell are recalled throughout the tracks, and to me, that is fine company indeed.

After I listened to the album the first 10 times I needed to give it a break, not because I had grown tired of it, but because it feels special, and I don’t want it to stop feeling special. Although I gave the album a rest, I will just mention that I dug out my copy of “Rust & Holler” by Christina and listened to that a fair few times (hunt it out, I found my copy on an online auction, and I have never grown weary of it). I am writing this review in silence, a rare occurrence, but I have realised that I am singing the songs under my breathe as I recall them. I suppose I am hooked then. Curse you Dorrian! Honestly, this review does not do 'Halcyon Days' the service it deserves. I just need you to hear it, to fall in love with it, to remember your memories, to have a kind word, deed or thought about someone.

I don’t even want to give the album a star rating as it feels like an insult, can you put a value on art? I will of course give it a five-star rating as that is what is expected. Please listen to it!

Review - Andrew Forcer