Floyds Row’s The Carlisle Sessions is a five-track EP that digs through old folk material and gives it a fresh coat of paint without pretending the past needs to be perfectly recreated. The group, formed out of collaborations at the University of Oxford, approaches traditional music less like a museum exhibit and more like a box of very old toys they are allowed to actually play with.
And, thankfully, they are very good at playing with them.
The EP opens with “George Washington’s Favorite Cotillion,” an upbeat instrumental that immediately establishes Floyds Row’s particular combination of folk and classical musicianship. Accordion, percussion, guitars and mandolin bounce around each other with the energy of a small gathering that has somehow turned into a dance party. It is short, lively and wonderfully odd.
“Henry Martin” slows things down and introduces soprano Emily Noël, whose voice is frankly ridiculous in the best possible way. There is something almost ghostly about her delivery, particularly alongside Asako Takeuchi’s violin. The song tells its old maritime tale without sounding like it is desperately trying to convince you that you are standing on a wooden ship in 1720. It simply lets the story and performance do the work.
“Jackaroe” follows with a darker, more dramatic atmosphere. Noël again provides the emotional center, while the ensemble gives the traditional song enough weight to feel theatrical without becoming overly polished. George Lykogiannis’ accordion is especially effective throughout the EP, adding a warm, slightly mysterious texture that makes everything feel like it has wandered in from another century.
Then comes “Maiden Lane / Kettle Drum,” which might be the strongest showcase of the musicians themselves. Takeuchi’s violin leads the way before the arrangement expands around it, with Chris Ferebee’s cittern, guitar and mandolin and Andrew Arceci’s viola da gamba and upright bass filling out the sound. George Lernis eventually takes over with a percussion passage that is genuinely thrilling.
The closer, “The Song of Robin Hood & His Huntes-Men,” brings everything together with a suitably adventurous finish. The arrangement feels almost like the soundtrack to a storybook coming alive, with guitar, bass, violin, accordion, percussion and Noël’s vocals all contributing to the atmosphere.
What makes The Carlisle Sessions work is that Floyds Row understands the difference between preserving history and being trapped by it. These songs are old, but the performances do not feel frozen in place.
This probably will not be everyone’s cup of tea. It is not exactly music designed for a playlist titled “songs to scream in the car.” But that is also why it is worth hearing. Floyds Row takes music that could easily feel distant because of how ancient they are and gives it modern or rather a timeless sense of warmth, movement and personality.
The Carlisle Sessions is less a trip backward than a reminder that the past can still dance.
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About the Author
A tenured media critic known working as a ghost writer, freelance critic for various publications around the world, the former lead writer of review blogspace Atop The Treehouse and content creator for Manila Bulletin.
