Music / folk

Prodigal son


Reviews (5)


The guardian

d. 15. July 2007

By

By

Neil Spencer

d. 15. July 2007

"Folk veteran delivers quiet masterpiece ... Prodigal Son finds him working a fresh seam of inspiration. Some of it is chamber folk, with Simpson's exquisite guitar turning baroque to cello and accordion accompaniments".


Mojo

2007 September

By

2007 September


Mojo

2019 May

By

By

David Quantick

2019 May

"Reissued for Topic's 80th anniversary, 2007's "Prodigal Son" is probably singer/guitarist Simpson's best-known work, a collection of old folk ballads and southern US traditional material held together by Simpson's guitar-playing and wistful voice ... Folk and blues do not always mix, but there is a pleasing oddness in the elision from ancient ballads like "The Granemore Hare" to the likes of Randy Newman'a "Louisiana 1927"".


Froots

2007 Aug/Sept

By

By

Colin Irwin

2007 Aug/Sept

"Not merely a virtuoso guitarist but a performer so comfortable with his art, he combines the English tradition with Americana, blues and guitar tunes in a very natural, cohesive-sounding whole. Mixing his Brit roots with material gleaned from his years in the US, this is a newly relaxed Simpson, gliding effortlessly through various big ballads and sprightly tunes ... And - the mark of any outstanding artist - Simpson coolly makes each one his own. His singingis more assured than it's ever been as he eases off the intensity and tells the stories in a relatively low-key manner, save for his distinctive, intricate, always sympathetic accompaniments".


fRoots

2019 Spring

By

2019 Spring

"Good" - "Perhaps Martin's finest record to date (...) boosted by a bonus CD of tracks from a typically wonderful live concert at London's Union Chapel in November 2007. Unmissable!".