EP REVIEW: LIDDINGTON HILL – Edge Of Insanity (2023)

High adrenaline Celtic-Punk and Alt Rock from the South West of England’s latest band to take notice of – Liddington Hill.

From around the South-Western town of Swindon in the leafy county of Wiltshire, Liddington Hill have marched a peculiar road to this their new EP. Starting off as a sometimes twee / sometimes eclectic /  sometimes downright strange Folky band but with obvious Punk-Rock influences. Basically the sort of band that is perfect to play support to Ferocious Dog and bands of that ilk. Formed in 2015 playing traditional Celtic and English folk songs around their local area they took their name from an ancient hill in Wiltshire. As is the usual way musicians came and went leaving their influences behind allowing Liddington Hill to soak it all up. You can hear and download a selection of their old songs for free from their web-site and track their progression to today’s EP.

Edge Of Insanity begins with the opening track ‘In Rosie’s Room’ and like all the songs here tells real stories of real people. Post-Punk choppy guitars and feedback while they sing about a mid 19th Century prostitute in gold rush America that tried to steal from a gold mine with her lover. Musically they hint at it as ‘Celtic-Grunge’ and truth be told the Celtic-ness side of things is fairly thin though that’s not to say it’s not f’ing brilliant! Shades of Post-Punk and Anarcho-Punk all over ‘Keep Hold Of Your Heart’ as Liam lets rip with the vocals with screams and shouts that strike fear into the listener as the song is from the perspective of an inmate in a sanitorium. ‘Caped In Black’ sees Liddington Hill slowing it down but they remain just as heavy. The ‘black’ in the title is coal and tells of the 1966 Aberfan disaster where the slag heap from the local coal-mine slid down the valley covering the village including the school. 116 children and 28 adults were killed and believe me this song portrays those numbers and the tragedy in a very angry and very appropriate way.

The dark themes continue with the first single to come out from the EP ‘Maid Of Mayhem’. Telling the tale of American serial killer Aileen Wuornos who murdered seven and was executed in 1991. The tune is straight up dark as well with menacing guitar and a wonderful fiddle accompaniment. The female vocals from new bassist Alannah take this song in another direction, more Gothy-Folkish than Celtic-Grunge. The EP comes to an end with ‘Lipstick’ and the story of the infamous Chicago ‘Lipstick Killer’ of the 1940’s. Back in 1946, 17-year-old William Heirens was arrested for attempted burglary. Held and questioned for six days straight without his parents for four and a lawyer for six he confessed to three murders while under the influence of illegally injected sodium pentothal, popularly known as ‘truth serum’ as well as threats and actual violence. William would go on to serve sixty-five years in prison before he passed away in March 2012 aged 83. The music is plodding in a good way with the story shouted out with fiddle giving the story and tune some definition.

Liddington Hill say “Liam, for some reason became inspired after reading about a few serial killers and the reasons behind such terrible actions. So he wrote a few songs and we put some together with a couple of other heart-wrenching songs we’d written.”  Definitely a band to follow and catch live. The music veers all across the various Punk-Rock genres while cherishing their Celtic-Folk roots and trying something different… and it works.

Get Edge Of Insanity  https://linktr.ee/LiddingtonHillBand

Contact Liddington Hill  WebSite  Facebook  YouTube

EP REVIEW: LIDDINGTON HILL – ‘Cow’ (2021)

New 4-track EP of high adrenaline Celtic-Punk and Alternative Rock from the South West of England’s Liddington Hill. 

It was only in February that we featured Liddington Hill for the first time. As surprised as we were that their was a band out there in southern England playing brilliant kick-arse Celtic-Folk-Punk that we had not come across we decided straight away that we had to do something. Without any new releases at the time we advertised that their back catalogue was available for free (they still are if you follow the link!). Free Downloads From Liddington Hill the articles title shouted out at you and by the look of it plenty of you did too. This time we are pleased to say that the music is new having been released only yesterday as I write this review.

Liddington Hill: Front- Tamzin – Vocals / Bass * Left to right – Ethan – Rhythm Guitar * Liam – Lead Guitar / Vocals * Chris – Drums * Matt – Fiddle / Vocals *

Formed in 2015 when Matt and Emily began performing traditional Celtic and English folk songs around their local area and taking their name from an ancient hill in Wiltshire. As is par for the course in Celtic bands the sound changed and members came and went before eventually moving away from the more trad sound to a heavier darker approach. A shadowy mix of Celtic and Folk tinged Metal and Punk giving them a rather unique sound for these days, added to which the dual male / female vocals gives them a further range than most bands we hear. Not that it’s downbeat but if you like this is more Joy Division and The Pogues rather the usual Clash and Pogues we get to hear.

Well in common with every band the months of C***d lockdown had a dramatic effect on the band abut rather than just sit around and mope they decided to concentrate on the music and finally they got to finish Cow their new EP. Two original songs and two traditional songs recorded at Evolution Recording Studio in Oxford, by Nick Moorbath. Cow is the first recordings from the new line up of Liddington Hill and one the band have preparing for throughout lockdown. Cow begins with the sea-shanty ‘Whip Jamboree’. Described by A.L. Lloyd who performed the song on the 1957 album Blow Boys Blow as “one of the wildest and most exultant of homeward-bound shanties” and here its played fast as hell and the sound and subject matter reminds me of Yorkshire band Blackbeard’s Tea Party. The second of the four tracks is the original ‘Pub Crawl’, written about a night out the band had around Oxford. Again here the fiddle dominates as the sights and sounds of a night on the lash are conveyed to us. It’s been a while so memories need refreshing! The third track is ‘Marshlands’ and the darkest song here both lyrically and in tone. Much heavier than the rest of the EP which ends with a spirited version of the anti-war song ‘Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye’. This song needs no introduction I am sure as by now its been covered by all and sundry but Liddington Hill manage to convey the horror of war suitably enough and ensure their version loses none of the originals power. The fantastic artwork for the EP was the brilliant work of Rob Warren from Paper Plane Consulting and the sound is also excellent though sadly distorted on the Spotify player below. So please don’t judge the EP on these snippets of song.  

Download Cow  Amazon  iTunes

Contact Liddington Hill  WebSite  Facebook  Instagram  YouTube

FREE DOWNLOADS FROM LIDDINGTON HILL!

Anyone fancy a bit of Punk and Metal tinged Celtic-Folk music? Well how about Liddington Hill hail from the South West of England. They have made their entire back catalogue free to download so get downloading!

Liddington Hill began life in 2015 when fiddle player Matt Meads and singer Emily Slinger got together to perform lively tradition Celtic and English folk songs. Taking their name from the hill that is home to the Iron Age Liddington Castle just outside Swindon in Wiltshire. The band went through a few different incarnations eventually settling into a much heavier darker sound. With their current line up of Tamzin Meads with her low fuzz bass, Ethan Meads with his roaring SG guitar, Liam Gallagher playing high leads and vocals, Chris Taylor bringing a dark metal undertone on drums and Matt Meads playing the melodies on fiddle takes the lead. Together Liddington Hill record and perform original and traditional, alternative rock and Celtic-Punk.

(The bands last single ‘With You’ from October 2020. Grunge, Punk, Love and Cider…)

The first time I clocked Liddington Hill on Instagram it instantly reminded me of the 1980’s Somerset based Anarcho-Folk-Rockers Blyth Power. A shadowy mix of Celtic and Folk tinged Metal and Punk giving them a rather unique sound for these days. One of the main differences between English and Irish Folk and traditional music can be where they share the same often depressing lyrics and themes the actual music is not as upbeat. This gives Liddington Hill that ‘dark’ feel added to which the dual male / female vocals gives them a further range than most bands we hear. That’s not to say it’s all downbeat but this is more Joy Division and The Pogues rather the usual Clash / Pogues we hear. With everything going on we haven’t had a chance to check them out live but they do have a rather good live video from The White Hart Inn in Swindon with clips of their set featuring original and covers including a great version of ‘Whiskey In The Jar’.

Liddington Hill: Front- Tamzin – Vocals / Bass * Left to right – Ethan – Rhythm Guitar * Liam – Lead Guitar / Vocals * Chris – Drums * Matt – Fiddle / Vocals *

Back in March last year Liddington Hill made all their recordings available to download for free. That’s three EP’s and a bunch of singles. Download link below but their songs are also available from Apple and Amazon if you choose to support the band. Alternatively check out their merchandise here.  

DOWNLOAD EP’S HERE

DOWNLOAD SINGLES HERE

(‘Long Lankin’ is a traditional English Folk murder ballad telling the gruesome story of the killling of a woman and her infant son. Recorded previously by Steeleye Span and, a band they share some similarities and influences with, Blackbeard’s Tea Party)

Liddington Hill  WebSite  Facebook  Instagram  YouTube

ODDS’N’SODS. CELTIC-PUNK ROUND UP FEBUARY 2021

Our regular monthly feature of all the Celtic-Punk news that’s fit to print. Band news, record releases, videos, tours (not individual gigs though yet sadly), live streams, crowd funders etc., send it into us at londoncelticpunks@hotmail.co.uk or through the Contact Us page. All will get a mention but I need YOU to help if it’s going to work.

We kick off this months Odds’n’Sods with two London-Irish bands. The first is the latest from CLAN OF CELTS and ‘My Eternal Tomb’. Their first single in three years a haunting tune of a strickened deportee ship leaving Ireland heading towards the penal colony in Australia, with a cargo of chained prisoners getting caught in a typhoon and being hauled to the bottom of the ocean and perishing. Available on all platforms to stream and download.

Next a new song/video from one of our most favourist bands CROCK OF BONES. ‘Nothin Worse’ is an original song and it’s mighty fine of course!

So nice to hear a band that you thought had split up is still active and one of my favourite bands KITCHEN IMPLOSION from Novara in Italy have indeed been constantly releasing music since the last I heard of them the brilliant ‘Pretty Work Brave Boys!’ album from 2014. They put out an EP Analfabeta Esistenziale in 2019 and the single ‘Coprifuoco’ last year available for download for a Euro.

Scots band THE CLELANDERS formed in 2017; with three brothers and a mate of theirs, bringing together a love of Irish and Scottish Folk music and throwing in a bit of Punk and Rock. All members grew up in the small mining village of Cleland in North Lanarkshire. They’ve a load of music up on their Facebook page but soon as they can are going to be recording more. They’ve a single out ‘Favourite Son’ about local Bhoy and Celtic (and Manchester United) legend Jimmy Delaney in benefit of their local Celtic Supporters Club Charity Fund named in honour of Jimmy. The song has been played at Celtic Park and is available for download for only 99p.

More from Scotland with the new video from THE CUNDEEZ of ‘Horo Gheallaidh’ one of the highlights of their recent album Teckle An Hide. A cover of a track by fellow Scots band Peat & Diesel. Fast, thrashy guitars telling the tale of a night out in the Highlands. Brilliant!

German band THE O’REILLYS AND THE PADDYHATS have long become one of my favourite bands and they follow up last years cracking album Dogs On The Leash with a Christmas release for the single ‘Joy Of Life’ that passed us by at the time. The Bhoys kick out a ballad which they are equally good as the kick arse Celtic-Punk they more famous for.

Pogues legend Terry Woods has contributed banjo, mandolin and veillette to a new song ‘Wide Eyed Lady’ by Irish/singer songwriter LOU McMAHON. Originally released in 2010 it has been remixed, re-mastered and released as a single as part of an album release in 2021. ‘Wide Eyed Lady’ is a dark folktale that interweaves Goth-Rock with Folk, guided by mythology, folklore and fantasy.

The fantastic Texan Celtic-Punkers THE DEAD RABBITS have a new album out soon on Roach Guard Records. These guys have the best graphics in Celtic-Punk!

London based RANAGRI (pronounced Ra-na-grye) release their new single ‘Follow Me Up To Carlow’, on February 8th. Pre-release here.

If you are looking for quality Celtic-Punk and for the bargain price of absolutely nothing then Oxford based LIDDINGTON HILL have only gone and made their last three singles free to download over on their web-site.

MICK McLOUGHLIN aka ‘Mick The Busker’ has been busking along Henry street in central Dublin for the last 10 years and has finally got some songs down on disc. The Busker is his third release but his first featuring his own material. It’s available on CD from him and download from Bandcamp.

TIR NAN OG – Sing Ye Bastards (Album)

BARDS FROM YESTERDAY – Demia (EP) -See Reviews

YE BANISHED PRIVATEERS – Drawn and Quartered (EP)

JASON STIRLING AND THE BLUE MOON BAND – Locked Doors And Lost Keys (EP)

TOXIC FROGS – My Lucky Own (EP)

Remember if you want your release featured then we have to have heard it first!

A new project out of Brittany with influences sometimes trad, sometimes rock. The BRETONS collective is 15 musicians on stage evolving on stage like a storm, ready to bewitch the halls of Europe!

More from the forthcoming new Rumjacks album with the release of title song ‘Hestia’ last week. Out in early March and available for pre-order here.

The debut studio album from Jay Terrestrial and the Firepit Collective dates back to 2014 and the band continues to play and record today. Recently they have had a string of sold out dates cancelled-rearranged-cancelled- rearranged-cancelled in London due to the ‘clampdown’. Jay is better known as the singer from London Punk/Dub band the Inner Terrestrials while the Firepit Collective has become his folky side project. This album combines new arrangements of trad songs and tunes along with original material. Here Jay and Chezney Newman are joined by friends Jess Cahill, Jez Hellard, David Garner, Rosie Nobbs, Chris Bowsher and Del Wilson.

German Celtic-Punkers MUIRSHEEN DURKIN have announced a St. Patrick’s Live Stream free on Facebook. Playing live from the Sauerland Theater in Arnsberg at 6pm on Saturday 20th March. Join the FB event to reminded nearer the time.

Canadians THE PEELERS have a new album out in March called Down And Out In The City Of Saints on Stomp Records.

MacSLONS IRISH PUB RADIO have announced the next installment of their Raise Your Pint compilation album series titled Corona Sessions. They are looking for 20 bands that have recorded songs during the course of the pandemic. If you want to take part in this please contact them at raise.your.pints@macslons.com

A plug for some good friends of ours over on Facebook. The Dropkick Murphys- Fan Page and the Celtic Punk, Folk And Rock Fans are two of the best music forums on FB let alone Celtic-Punk. Ran By Fans For Fans. Just like and join in the fun!

All we need to do now is for you to help fill this page with news and remember if you are new to the London Celtic Punks blog it is easy to subscribe / follow and never miss a post. Also if anyone is interested in helping out on the reviews front then let us know via the Contact Us page.