Track Listing

1. Lady Of The Sea (Hear Her Calling)
2. Setting Of The Sun
3. White Hare
4. Colliers
5. King And Country
6. Childe The Hunter
7. Take No Rogues
8. 1643
9. Riflemen Of War
10. Charmer
11. Final Lot
12. Band Of Gold
13. Send Yourself Away

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1214 in Music
• Released on: 2006-11-13
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .23 pounds

From the Label
Freedom Fields takes its name from a skirmish which took place on 3rd December 1643, where after vicious fighting the Roundhead Garrison of Plymouth made their final rally, routed the King’s army (the Cavaliers) and this uprising changed the course of English history.

The album contains a compelling array of songs inspired by the West Country and unlike the previous album, explores the turmoil of conflict, war and freedom, rather than myths and legends. Several songs are about the area’s naval traditions, ("Lady Of The Sea"), while "King & Country" along with the title track further examines the factions created by the English Civil War. Meanwhile, the world above and below ground is recorded in "The Colliers" which takes its theme from the oppression of the tin and copper miners.

What lifts this album from out of the more usual stock of folk inspired material is Seth’s musical dexterity and energy, the passion and intensity of his delivery, how he skillfully and sympathetically applies historical experience to universal truths about the human condition.

CD Description
What can i say?.... I saw Seth lakeman on a short TV programme and liked what I heard. I was suprised becuase I wasn't really into folk music, past or present. I took the chance and bought this CD. It is fantastic! Seth has definately got the gift.... I am truely converted to modern folk music (if you want to classify it). My advice is , Buy this CD. It is up lifting, mystical and spiritual as well as damn good! All tracks have a feel of their own. I could listen to seth all day. This is a purchase you will not regret. Musical and moving!

Customer Reviews

It's folk, Jim, but.....
Bought this CD after hearing "Setting of the Sun" on the BBC Folk Awards 2006 compliation and haven't regretted it. It's definitely a folk album: "Setting of the Sun" is one of those ridiculous folk tales about a young man who shoots his true love, mistaking her (and her white apron) for a swan; "1643" is a rousing account of a key battle in the English civil war; "Lady of the Sea" has all the honest, self-unconcious, sweeping emotion (for me) only folk songs can convey. However, rythmically, melodically, lyrically, and in his voice, it somehow manages to bridge the gap between folk and contemporary, indie guitar music. "The Final Lot" sounds like acoustic punk. It's pure pathos, of course: love, loss, regret, pride, courage are all to be found. It's an album to come back to over and over again. Try it. You don't have to be into Morris Dancing to like English folk music....

More songs about the legends of Devon
Mostly written and recorded around the time that his previous album Kitty Jay was nominated of the Mercury Music Prize, Freedom Fields finds young folk-indie singer Seth Lakeman continuing with self-penned and traditional songs inspired by the legends and stories of Dartmoor.

The new album has more guitar and less of Seth's exhilarating violin than Kitty Jay though the songs are more realised and better put together. Violin features on less than half of the tracks with the stirring fiddle and percussion-led Lady Of The Sea being a particular highlight.

The more guitar-based tunes usually feature prominent tenor guitar by Seth backed by conventional acoustic guitar from his brother Sean and other members of Seth's excellent touring band. The four-string tenor guitar has an unusual tuning giving it a sound reminiscent of some of Jimmy Page's acoustic playing with Led Zeppelin. This is particular apparent in the driving chordal riff of opening track The Charmer. The greater emphasis on guitar also gives Freedom Fields a more poppy sound than its predecessor with the "hold your fire" refrain on The Colliers being superbly or annoyingly catchy depending on your politics...

Like Kitty Jay, much of FF was recorded in Seth's kitchen which, coupled with the excellent minimal arrangements, help to give the album a warm, intimate sound. Similar but with some differences, it's difficult to say which of the two albums is better with your first Lakeman purchase possibly being determined by whether you prefer folk violin or guitar.

It will be interesting to see how Seth's sound changes now that he has signed to a major label of sorts and will be encouraged into working at bigger studios and presumably releasing more commercial material. Some change is inevitable but hopefully he will retain his folk values and continue to make excellent albums like Freedom Fields.

Original, brilliant music
If ever there was an artist capable of destroying long time stereotypes and preconceptions of folk music as a stale and dated genre, Seth Lakeman is it. Transcending genres, you can't help but admire this album for it's wonderfully written songs performed by a group of musicians who really know their stuff. Each track is completely different the one before it, and in fact, from any other songs out there, folk our otherwise. Seth's fiddle and tenor guitar playing has a major part in the originality of the songs, but it's his voice that really makes them stand out.

This re-released album contains the lovely remixed versions of `Lady of the Sea' and `White Hare'. It would be easy to ruin a great song like `Lady of the Sea' by overproducing it, but this can certainly not be said about this fantastic version. Keeping all the vitality and freshness of the original, this version has a great beat, harmonies and bass that only adds to the sound, transforming it from `sweet' to `epic'.

Although based on legends and stories from the West Country, specifically Dartmoor, Seth Lakeman and his band play each song as though it is contemporary tale of love, loss, or tragedy, and each feels as relevant to life as if it were based on something that happened yesterday. From sweet ballads like `King and Country' to the `blokey folk' songs about soldiers and miners (`The Colliers' and `The Riflemen of War'), there's not a single track on this album that I haven't had on constant repeat for days at a time. If you're tired of soulless songs played by people who don't know the first thing about music, buy this album: I can guarantee you won't have heard anything more honest and original than `Freedom Fields' - unless it's Seth Lakeman's previous album, `Kitty Jay'.