Uphill and Still Album Review

It´s a fantasy we can all enjoy, being a modern day troubadour.
Wandering the globe, instrument on your back, singing for your supper, each experience impregnating you with a new song.

I´m thinking #troubadorlife. Is that a thing? It really should be.

Now imagine meeting another troubadour, equally talented. A soul mate on the same quest, ready to join your adventure.
What would happen? Such shared experience, such closeness. How would your music sound?

With Uphill and Still we need imagine no longer; five years on the road together; living, playing and composing in each others pockets. Now captured for your listening pleasure.

The newly released "No Time Forever" is their first full album and, as one would expect from an act practicing together every day and gigging a new town every night, the results are impressive. Such proximity, through thick and thin, builds a deep intimacy and you can feel the tightness of their interlock in every bar of their music. Its something even the best acts would envy.

Uphill and Still are Jon Marleau from Canada and Maddy James from England. They met, guitars on their backs, in New Zealand in 2014 and have played around the globe ever since. They write all their own songs and between them play guitar, mandolin, banjo and percussion.

The opening track "Farmhands Curse" is just my kind of tune. An Old Timey lament about the hardships of itinerant work.
Maddy provides the steel string foundation, Jon adds delightfully tasteful frailed banjo and their close harmony vocals sit comfortably on top. The pair find plenty of space and keep the arrangement developing interestingly.
Maddy even throws in a tiny but good flatpick solo. For a split second I could hear Gillian Welsh and Dave Rawlings. When compared to such greatness, this song is missing much of the modal darkness which gives Gillian her authenticity, not to mention Dave Rawlings being possibly the best flatpicker in the world. However, with dedicated practice and a solid dose of experience, I could see Uphill and Still on the same stage as the very best.

Sadly for me that was the only old time tune on the album. The release now moves on through multiple styles of what is called Nu Folk; one track a bit Seth Lakeman, one kind of Bright Eyes. Personally I find some a little showey, some a bit too American college student, but all are excellently executed and there is something here to please everyone.

I enjoyed the Celtic inspired "Banks of the Brue" which Maddy James shreds on the Mandolin. I assume she wrote the pulsing tune on the banks of Somerset´s River Brue. I am not totally convinced that the bright young woman singing is really about to get hung for crimes...but it is all good fun.

What I really appreciated on this release are the arrangements. Every single track kept developing its themes and held its interest. None of the solos were formulaic and every time my attention started to wander Uphill and Still managed to step it up or throw me a surprise. Thank you.

In summary, these troubadours have done well. Its a varied, enjoyable release, in no way compromised by their shoestring travelers´ budget.

On reflection, the album makes most sense viewed as a showcase. It illustrates to the world the variety of skills and styles these musicians have mastered in their 5 years on the road. And it really does display, in a great light, their musicality and versatility.
To my ears, this release marks the end of these Troubadour´ journeyman stage, the skills required have been mastered. Now it is time for them to see what depth of emotion and beauty they express with these skills. It is time to begin a masterpiece.

What would help is if a record company could step up and give this act the funds they need to explore and record each of their styles in real depth......

In the mean time #troubadorlife continues with dates across the UK and the world.
I would imagine a great show is guaranteed.

Listen and Buy the Album Here

Uphill and Still Gigs on Folk and Honey

Uphill and Still Website