(4 / 5)
This record is an unexpected gem and a bit of a best kept secret, featuring some stunning guitar work and lovely vocals. If the respected outfit Held By Trees is not yet on your radar, this seven-track EP is a pretty good entry point.
Live, the band will perform four shows this month (November ’24) – two with vocalist Martin Smith, to mark the release of this excellent release, “Held By Trees & Martin Smith”.
Held By Trees:
15th – COVENTRY The Tin at The Coal Vaults
16th – BRISTOL The Louisiana
With Martin Smith:
20th – LONDON The Half Moon, Putney
21st – BOURNEMOUTH St Luke’s, Winton
The seven tracks on the new EP comprise of two 12-minute songs and a third shorter one, plus instrumental mixes of all three and an ambient version of one.
Having established themselves with the highly acclaimed instrumental releases, “Solace” (2022) and “Eventide/Solace – Live at Real World” (2023), an obvious question for the project has been “what would it be like with vocals?”
The answer to this question came when Held By Tree’s frontman David Joseph asked his friend Martin Smith to come and play a short opening set for their gig in Martin’s hometown of Brighton. Martin, a world-renowned singer-songwriter, on hearing HBT’s set, was fired up for a collaboration.
Over a phone call a few days later, Martin and David began to hatch a plan to get together at Real World Studios and record new music. “Lay Your Troubles Down” was the first release from the resulting session, which also features Martin’s longtime friend and former Delirious bandmate, Stuart Garrard on guitar.
Says Martin; “I’ve been a friend of Dave’s for many years. He is always searching after something new in music. I’ve loved the sound of Held by Trees and leaped at the chance to collab with them. Being at Real world in the big ‘Peter Gabriel’ room was a treat. Being amongst such talent was inspiring and I hope everyone loves what we have created.”
“There were seven of us playing live on these songs,” says David. “Within that seven are three sets of very old friends: Martin and Stu, Robbie McIntosh (guitar) and Paul Beavis (drums), and myself and James (double bass). Also, James and I had been huge admirers and influenced by watching Martin and Stu in Delirious when we were younger. We could never have guessed we’d record together one day at Peter Gabriel’s studio!
“There was a moment when I looked around at the calibre of people playing together and just thought ‘how on earth did this happen to me?’ So, within this sound, and in the heart of this song is a deep well of shared love, years of faithful friendship, respect, and the joy of making music. It’s an absolute delight to branch out into a new part of the Held By Trees adventure with Martin and Stu.”
Opener “You Deserve” sets the scene with a Floydian grandeur in the soaring melodic guitar work between Robbie McIntosh and Stuart Garrard. Martin pours out a heartfelt song of deep appreciation to the loves of his life, while Daniel Newberry builds towering sax solos around the yearning vocals.
“Lay Your Troubles Down” ebbs and flows with instrumental passages that rise and fall with the simple, heartfelt plea to come and let go of our hardships and hurts, and find love that can carry us through life’s sorrows.”There’s empathy in the song, and empathy in the musicianship,” states David, “we hope people can connect with that empathy and compassion as they listen.”
Finally, “Oh, My Love” presents the ensemble in a joyful state-of-mind, with musicians taking it in turns to take the lead over a 70s feel, almost disco groove, with Martin’s improvised cries of delight dancing over the top. It has the feeling of a party, with laughter heard at the track’s conclusion.
After instrumental mixes of all three pieces, Hong Kong-based ambient duo, Salt of the Sound contribute a peaceful ambient version of “Lay Your Troubles Down.” Anita Tatlow’s ethereal vocals bringing a new dimension to the song.
If ethereal, dreamy Pink Floyd-influenced rock meets prog with a dusting of folk floats your boat, this is for you. If you play guitar, these tracks are an essential listen.
Words by Trevor Meadow
(1 / 5) ‘Dull Zone’
(2 / 5) ‘OK Zone’
(3 / 5) ‘Decent Zone’ (4 / 5) ‘Super Zone’
(5 / 5) ‘Awesome Zone’
