THISTLETOWN

'Rosemarie' by Thistletown weaves a genuinely beguiling spell on the listener. Using a wide array of instruments, from lutes and harmoniums to flute and trumpet, they conjure some haunting soundscapes on 'Glow Worm' and 'Labyrinth', to some beautiful melodies like 'Oak and Ash' and 'Dance With The Sea'. Its all led by a really lovely pair of female vocals, who catch the vibe of bands like Mellow Candle perfectly. Their authentic vibe is helped by the fact they all appear to be commune style hippies who live on the cornish coast, and a sympathetic production from Circulus main man Michael Tyack. Its a shame they didnt follow this up with a second album, because its a real gem, and worth checking out for any fan of psychedelic or prog folk

Thistletown's Rosemarie is an outstanding recording. Produced by Michael Tyack of Circulus and Princes in the Tower and released by Will Hodgkinson's one-off Big Bertha label, the recording captures the bucolic psychedelic feel of bands like Heron and Trees with a touch of the music of Brittany and the Cornish coast where the music was created. The sound features the vocals of Lydia Tweddell and Tifany Bryant, the intricate and lovely guitar work of Ben Tweddell, and the vast palettes of instrumentation wielded by Andrew Jarvis and producer Tyack. Favorite cuts are the title track, "Labyrinth," and a cover of Lavender Diamond's "The Sun is Coming Up." Highly recommended.