thu 14/11/2024

CD: Darren Hayman & the Short Parliament – Bugbears | reviews, news & interviews

CD: Darren Hayman & the Short Parliament – Bugbears

CD: Darren Hayman & the Short Parliament – Bugbears

Contemporarily resonant take on the uncertainties of 17th and 18th century England

Darren Hayman & the Short Parliament's 'Bugbears': go for the vinyl edition

Darren Hayman isn’t a chap who stands still. The former Herfner frontman’s last-but-one album, Lido, was a series of mood-music compositions inspired by open-air swimming pools. In 2011 came The Ship’s Piano, a collection of piano pieces. Rather than being a follow-up to his most recent album The Violence, Bugbears complements it.

While researching East Anglia’s Civil War-era witch trials for The Violence, he was compelled to dig further into the 17th and 18th century’s songs. Bugbears is the result.

Instead of being a straight folk album, or even trying to recreate the sound or ambience of the era, Hayman brings new settings to the material he’s uncovered. “The Owl”, a song celebrating soldiery’s love of drink, becomes an instrumental with a sparse acoustic guitar accompanied by brushed drums and what might be the string sound of a Mellotron. The discomfiting mood is akin to that of “Downs”, from Big Star’s Third. Although not strictly concerned with authenticity, Hayman nonetheless, evokes moods which are ageless yet ancient. “Bold Astrologer” creepily tells the tale of a girl hoodwinked by an astrologer. This is not happy-clappy Mumfords territory.

The album’s packaging is superb, and shines most for the vinyl edition. Each song has its own specially commissioned illustration. There is though – from the Pendle witches to Ben Wheatley's film A Field in England – an awful lot in the air at the moment looking back to the uncertainties of the English Civil War, its era and olde wyrd England. With Bugbears, Hayman stands apart.

Visit Kieron Tyler’s blog

Watch the video for Darren Hayman & the Short Parliament’s “Martin Said”

Add comment

The future of Arts Journalism

 

You can stop theartsdesk.com closing!

We urgently need financing to survive. Our fundraising drive has thus far raised £33,000 but we need to reach £100,000 or we will be forced to close. Please contribute here: https://gofund.me/c3f6033d

And if you can forward this information to anyone who might assist, we’d be grateful.

Subscribe to theartsdesk.com

Thank you for continuing to read our work on theartsdesk.com. For unlimited access to every article in its entirety, including our archive of more than 15,000 pieces, we're asking for £5 per month or £40 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.

To take a subscription now simply click here.

And if you're looking for that extra gift for a friend or family member, why not treat them to a theartsdesk.com gift subscription?

newsletter

Get a weekly digest of our critical highlights in your inbox each Thursday!

Simply enter your email address in the box below

View previous newsletters