Menhirs Of Er Grah – Mourning Dove
One of London’s most hard working folk singers is easily Menhirs Of Er Grah’s Tom Carter. And his spiritually solid release Mourning Dove is another fantastic addition to his already impressive body of work through various monikers. But, when Tom hopes to reach back to the basics of folk melodies, it is always back to the good ole Grah.
Joining the ranks of acts like Naama Hillman, Robin Grey, or Madeline Hart, Menhirs Of Er Grah showcases the fascinating and elusive underworld scene in the city across the pond. You get pop minimalist tracks (“Whitening Light”), experimental propaganda (“Continental Drift”), and cleverly adapted stories of the earth (the other three tracks) on Mourning Dove. At times the E.P. is haunting, but is always soothing.
If you are looking for hot coffee in the morning through music, let the rain pour down upon you and the beans brew for a half an hour with Tom Carter. This album could surely act as the muse to a better day, maybe even a better existence. Menhirs Of Er Grah is exactly the sort of musician’s artist the world has been awaiting. The Hunter S. Thompson of the music world some might say. To know music, to love it, to make good on promises to thy own self as far as artistic credibility is a huge concern. This is a presumption one could use to describe Carter’s way of life and work. And so far, he’s doing pretty good.
Menhirs Of Er Grah – Different World
Tom Carter knows music. More importantly, he has a vast intelligence on what it means to be an artist in this that is a new era. Menhirs of Er Grah is only one of his many monikers and projects he has found himself developing throughout the underworld of the city of London. Seeming to be the first of Carter’s acoustic sessions, Different World brings a warm and pleasant collection of sad sad blues.
“My Orchard Fire” begins with guitar samplings similar to Johnny Cash, but the tone quickly slows down to something completely original and enlightening. And “Red Roses” is so soft that your ears will feel fragile after only one listen. But emotions flicker on and off, up and down, throughout the charismatic and purely grounded, 60′s inspired essence of Different World.
Down tempo folk usually comes off as a simple task. An easy way out if you must. But this is an album that begs to differ. Carter’s rendezvous with misery as well as joy is on glass display to the world. Few acoustic strumming fools can get away with what he does. While wearing so many hats in the indie world, he has found the time to be Menhirs of Er Grah as the forefront of his empire. Which is an eloquently based setting where no pretentious riddle hat is required. Kick your feet up to this one, and prepare to live, laugh, strum.