Adam Woodhouse, Rory Coleman-Smith, Jo Deacon and Matt Hughes, aka Thieves, the wonderful local folk vocal harmony quartet of uplifting bluegrass into country-blues has a four track debut EP; who knew?!
I only found out through talking with Adam about a merch table at our forthcoming RowdeFest, where you can, incidentally, find Thieves playing, but at any gig you’re lucky enough to catch them at, I suggest you pick up a copy of this little showcase disc; they’re our very own resident Carter Family….
Opening with Calne’s Jo Deacon on lead vocals, who also sings solo and with soul function band the Midnight Hour, Coming Back For Me is beguiling and uptempo, refreshing bluegrass fashion. Yet Working Man, which follows, slides the divine ambience into mellowed country-rock. With Adam on lead vocals, I’m thinking Neil Young, the Byrds, and all those irresistible Americana classics, which imagines you’re heading west through Oklahoma on a Harley with Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda.
Probably the highlight of this EP is the penultimate, Now You’re Around. Five minutes of total bliss, with Jo back on vocals and some seriously intricate melodies, combining the talents of Rory’s resonator, Adam’s mandolin, and Matt’s upright bass, you can sense Jo’s soul experience, as it rings out as authentically Americana as Janis Joplin playing Woodstock with Crosby, Stills & Nash. And still I hear something decidedly UK folk here too, of Fairport Convention, perhaps. I’m no connoisseur, just know what my ears like; it’s all a melting pot, and Thieves stir it with delicate precision.
And in that, I’m unsure about the name Thieves. Certainly the genuine sound of America is pinched if not more agreeably heavily influenced by, but it might suggest there’s something edgy going on, when this is dinkum, universally appealing sunny side of the street melodies; the kind of folk the eldest in the crowd will tap their toes to while children will merrily twirl barefoot on the grass.
It was a series of coincidences when I first saw them at Bradford Roots Festival a few years ago. From a distance I thought ‘that guy looks just like Adam Woodhouse,’ (and maybe a smidgen like MacGyver too!) but upon hearing them perform I thought of The Lost Trades, turned to tell the person standing next to me, who just happened to be Phil Cooper of the Lost Trades, who nodded his trilby in approval; a fine accolade indeed. “It is Adam,” Phil replied! Oh, yeah, so it is; I didn’t need to go to Specsavers, because their wonderful sound pulled me closer.
We finish the EP with a ballad called Lately, which Adam and Jo duet, and it’s so beautiful and moreish, leaving you suspended on what’s to come from Thieves, but rest assured, here’s a wonderful quartet which can hold a crowd spellbound.
Find where Thieves are playing on our local circuits by following socials Facebook Insta for gigs, and hopefully catch them at Rowdefest on Saturday 31st May? It’s free, bring me a haslett and cucumber sandwich, I’ve arranged the acts, I won’t let you down.
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