Reviewed by Tom Lennie

Odd at Ease is a four-piece Southport-based folk group spanning four Christian denominations, although there's little on this disc that reveals their faith. Ian Cleverdon, the lead guitarist and singer, has featured on a number of previous recordings - several of which have been reviewed in CR - and it's care of him and bass player Nigel Maudsley that the majority of the 15 tracks here came into being. The lyrics are original, as titles like "Shropshire '75", "Magical Feeling" and "Bright Hair Falling" suggest, and some of these are personal stories-in-song - including a few "love songs", while others are traditional folk tunes. A couple of tracks contain a definite moral ("Needles In The Hay", "Walls Come Down"); the former featuring guest female lead vocals. My favourite tracks, however, are the home-grown instrumentals like "Dunes" and "Jojo's Island" - smart tunes, proficiently played (including the use of a certain "cello-mandolin" by two members). These guys are good musicians, and, aided by a fine sense of humour, there's no doubt that they'd come over with more life on stage than in the studio. Still, this is a interesting listen.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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