Accomplished lyricism from Liverpudlian singer-songwriter on folk sophomore album
Having successfully navigated his way onto the UK folk scene with the release of debut album ‘Songs from the Sea’, Ian David Green finds himself back on dry land for his follow up album, ‘Songs from the Wheel’. Continuing where he left off, his latest effort is a poignant set of poems set to melody, leaning heavily on his influences – most obviously Leonard Cohen, but also Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Phosporescent and, at times, I am Kloot. ‘Chelsea Hotel #3′ is the most obvious nod towards those who have come before; a somewhat more wholesome re-working of Cohen’s standard bearer of the singer/song-writer genre. Elsewhere, Green’s harmonica playing recalls early Dylan on ‘Antony and Cleopatra Head for the Highlands’ and ‘Swallows’, in particular. The former, acclaimed in our very own Twang Factor competition for new talent in 2021, is an upbeat story with layered lyricism while the latter is a tender reflection on watching a child grow.
Each track is centred on Green’s guitar playing and vocal, with various contributing artists supporting on fiddle, piano, harmonica, cello and mandolin, all of which add weight and texture. There is a depth and a sincerity to Green’s work, reminiscent of the finest artists of the genre he occupies. ‘Songs from the Wheel’ is a thoughtful, panoramic study of the rich and lyrical landscape of human life and the vastness of the spaces around it.
