Jez Lowe, Tenterhooks (Fellside Records, 1996)

The term songsmith is rightly underused. A songsmith does not write a song, he or she creates one. It is the musical equivalent of sculpture; music that has been carved and forged into a song that captures your attention with a blend of melody and lyric, as one whole, not as components. Jez Lowe is a man deserving of such a complimentary term, and Tenterhooks as an album is symbolic of his art.

Much of the Jez's earlier work was notable for its traditional feel, to the extent where learning that it was original came as something of a shock. However, with this album that style of traditional protest and working class solidarity have been replaced with something far more impressive, a unique sound that one can identify undeniably with Jez Lowe. This progression of technique, and the variety that now exists in his catalogue, has established Jez as a popular folk club stalwart in America and Australia, as well as in the UK. The famed energy and entertainment of his live work is now transferring to his CD releases. For folk lovers, and indeed music lovers in general, this album is a treat.

Tenterhooks kicks off with 'Sons of the Century', a new twist on the traditional style, with the protest being aimed at and acknowledged by the singer of the song. Next up is the superb "Sweep Horizons Clean"; entrancing guitar work and a ridiculously hummable melody embed the tune in your head after just one listen. The song intertwines the life of an individual with the plight of an area, shadowing everything that leaves as the old way is replaced by the new. The new order, or rather the way it was imposed on people, is a particular cause for Jez. Coming from a small mining village in County Durham, Jez sounds fiercely proud of the area he is from and the traditions contained therein. It is through the work of people such as Jez that the way of life he feels has been lost will be maintained. As folk music has kept alive people and stories for hundreds of years, so will artists like Jez Lowe will keep alive their particular slice of life. Jez Lowe is doing much to continue this tradition; he has truly picked up the baton from the Geordie folk legends that are Tommy Armstrong and Johnny Handel.

There are many songs on Tenterhooks which hark back to this sense of tradition and locality, "Crack of the Crake", "Bait Up", and "Dry Season Land" in particular, but the real quality of this album is actually in its diversity, and intermingled with the traditional are lively and humourous bouncers and songs that approach a topic from the most fascinating angles. It is a testament to the talent of the man that he can create a song ("Aloisius") written from the perspective of a talking dog -- a song which doesn't sound ridiculous! "The Indian lass" is another example, "I once sang a song called the Indian lass, but I never once thought that I'd meet her".

The two outstanding tracks on this album are "Workhouse" and the brilliant title track, 'Tenterhooks'. Vastly different though they are, both songs are markedly moving, one to sombre thought and the other to hysterics. 'Workhouse' pitches Jez's band members Billy and Bob Surgoneur and Bev Sanders as nude models, thieves and love rats, warning all the while that "their wicked ways will have us all in the workhouse". His manipulation of language is simply stunning, cramming words into places where they have no right to fit and bouncing catchphrases, puns and poetry off of each other to create a barrage of images and jokes that leaves you short of breath from laughing. I particularly loved the declaration that "there's a gang of us you can always trust if you just don't throw us too far". Counter this with the beautiful and moving 'Tenterhooks' and you have a diversity of style and writing ability that is strikingly impressive.

The man has released a hefty catalogue of albums and, with the exception of Toue a Roue, a collaboration with Jake Walton, he has yet to offer a bad one; even Toue a Roue contained 'The Bergen', Jez's most covered and well known song. I'm not saying he's perfect. This album ends with a medley of old North-Eastern folk songs that quite honestly has been done better elsewhere by people who make a career from reviving the traditionals (Fairport Convention, John Wright Band, The Hush, Bob Fox, Steeleye Span), but then this is not why I liked the album so much, it's not what I was looking for. The last track could have been the sound of a goose farting in the fog and the album would still have been great. He'd done more than enough by that point. Jez Lowe has given us an album of scope, passion , originality and unquestionable talent. A songsmith indeed.