Erland and the Carnival

Artist: Erland and the Carnival
Label: Pod/Inertia
Website: erlandandthecarnival.com

There's something quite pastoral yet rather weird about Erland and the Carnival. The cover art for their self-titled debut long-player features what seems to be a goat dressed in a suit and tie; while in one of the band's publicity stills, two of its members are wearing animal masks. It's perhaps not surprising then to learn that their record is a dark excursion into the recesses of folk-rock.

The band's bio suggests that lead singer and guitarist Erland Cooper grew up in the remote Orkney Islands off the coast of Scotland. It's hard to think of a more pastoral locale and, given its northern latitude and exposure to fierce Atlantic storms, one also suited to the dark side.

Cooper counts The Verve among his musical influences, and it certainly comes through on the record. The Verve's sprawling guitar-and-bass is however constrained here by a folk sensibility that ensures there's barely a dull moment. It's almost as if Erland and the Carnival is the bastard child of Jethro Tull and The Clash, with a good dash of The Smiths' songwriting creativity thrown in for good measure.

The band apparently took their name from Jackson C Frank's 'My Name is Carnival' and a cover of that song appears on the album. In fact, the band are shameless bower birds. The first single, 'Trouble in Mind' is a melange of influences. As E&TC member Simon Tong told the Line of Best Fit website this year:

"The title is from an old blues track but that’s all. We borrowed the theme of ‘My Fathers House’ by Springsteen which is about returning to a childhood place either in a dream or in reality. Also ‘Last night I dreamt…..’ the first line of the song is from the first line of Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier."

Similar borrowings continue across the album, and the band make no bones about it.

The feel is generally quite folkish; although the ringing guitars and driving percussion keep them firmly out of the 'pure folk' genre.

Erland and the Carnival is a bit of a curiosity; but one that can sneak up on you. My initial misgivings that this might have been something very outre were misplaced. It isn't however just another bland folk record either. It's a quite unusual mix, and one worth sampling.

Phil James