10/20/09

NON-TRADITIONAL TRADIONALISM


DAVID NIGEL LLOYD
Rivers, Kings and Curses
No Records 3406
** 1/2

David Nigel Lloyd bills himself as a “non-traditional traditionalist,” a good handle for songs that often sound old but aren’t, and guitar work in the English staccato style of Martin Carthy and Bert Jansch. Lloyd left Great Britain for the States in 1962, and kicked around rock, folk-rock, and punk bands from the late 1960s until the 90s, when he repackaged himself as a storytelling troubadour. Lloyd’s voice has a lot of road mileage on it and he often twists melodies in border-of-breaking ways reminiscent of Robin Williamson (Incredible String Band), who guests on Lloyd’s new record. But even if Lloyd’s singing is an acquired taste, fancy fretwork, tales plucked from English folklore, and new ones sort of drawn from the same source will entertain.


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