Identities of the traditional folk genre are experienced immediately with Lammas Fair. An intentional, articulate choice from Henry Parker, whose striking instrumental abilities pair up with his vocal range. That dialogue between guitar and scope comes true so quickly, so confidently, in this sophomore piece. With an opening track that shares its title with the sultry charms of the folk piece, Lammas Fair is both a good album and a good opener. It shows the rises and falls, the scale of expertise on show from Parker, not just from his lyricisms but from his articulate guitar playing. It sometimes feels as though he is ready to break free into a grand solo that eats up half the track, but his better judgement gets the better of him.
Lammas Fair still ends with a beautiful working of guitar, another key sign that the folk genre is seeing a boom in quality over the last few years. Big Thief is the obvious draw, but the likes of Parker and Katie Spencer are toiling away with articulations that not so much modernise the genre as they do revive its relevance. Return to the Sky has no trouble with that, a track that feels ready to explode at any point, but through willpower alone maintains the quality warmth that comes from the folk track exploration. Travelling for a Living feels to be a good lament with strings underscoring the most important focuses of the track, the folk approach and the lyrical fluidity that comes from a natural creation.
At its core, there is nature at the heart of Parker’s work. It feels open and free, dragged through fields and opened up to the feelings of the outdoors. Placement is key, and Lammas Fair finds that almost immediately and brings about it a great and unique presence. Take those Blackthorn charms, they provide a surrounding, an idea, to counteract the stunning guitar work. Parker finds his high point here, with a limited arrangement bringing about a barebones, intimate style that flows through the album well. It naturally has its high and low points; Blackthorn is the clear peak. That is not to say Death and the Lady or the rest of the tracks to follow are not of that same quality, but Blackthorn is something truly special. Nine Herb Charms has that same quality, lighter than the tracks to precede it but falling into similar form.
Parker has nailed not just his style but, crucially, a continuation of the traditional folk-pop revival. Lammas Fair is a collection of the delicate and the delightful. It has the scope to maintain its roots and the style to push forward with them. Parker does not rest on his laurels, and although much of Lammas Fair is intrinsically linked to the genre waves so frequently associated with folk, he does well to mark a place of his own. Given Time is a grand example of that, a flow of his vocal qualities paired up with that ever-present guitar – it is the two constants that form Lammas Fair so well, a gift of a voice and a gratifying guitar layered onto one another.
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