The ruby cord

"British freak folk hero Richard Dawson makes music that often appears to have a strongly improvisational slant, yet a careful look at his work makes clear there's a grand design behind it all ... The precarious qualities of Dawson's early work make it easy to focus on his eccentric sonic world view and creative shapeshifting, but his recordings from 2014 onward make it clear he's maturing into an instrumentalist and composer with unique and powerful gifts. Listeners willing to approach The Ruby Cord on its own terms will be treated to a remarkable, thoughtful, and emotionally literate cycle of songs that ranks with his most rewarding work".

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"The Newcastle Upon Tyne avant-folk songwriter delivers his most ambitious compositions to date ... At its best, The Ruby Cord is able to convey as much story via the timbre of Dawson's voice as it does through his verbose lyricism. Dawson brings no shortage of compelling narratives to this record, continuing Peasant and 2020's propensity for song-length vignettes that thematically snap together when put in sequence. What's especially noteworthy this time around is how naturally Dawson's writing about a speculative future fits with his descriptions of Anglo-Saxon England on Peasant, or the dystopian realities of the present day on 2020".

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"Geordie folklorist wraps up trilogy in typically eccentric style: Dawson's work has always required a certain amount of buy-in from the listener, which it traditionally pays back with dividends. 'The Ruby Cord' is no different, and in its depth and ambition may go further than any of his records before. If Dawson's discography was the books of Tolkien, this wouldn't be 'The Hobbit', or even 'Lord Of The Rings', but 'The Silmarillon'. As such, this might not be the first Richard Dawson record you would recommend to a newcomer ... Still, if you've got the measure of him and his work, 'The Ruby Cord' won't fail to impress. You leave it mind reeling, happily baffled, dazzled by the scope of its achievement".

"Released too late in the year to make some publications' best-of 2022 lists and opening with a song that lasts 41 (!) minutes, 'The Ruby Cord' will be hailed as another masterpiece whether Dawson wants that or not. Following albums historically ('Peasant') and contemporary ('2020'), this one's set in the distant future where citizens are plugged into the metaverse like Cronenbergian dupes. Or is it? Its creaking prog-folk is less urgent-sounding than '2020' but no less rousing, if your depleting attention span allows".