Reviews: The Further Adventures of Darling Cory
Froots, no. 237, March 2003
In an age of re-invention and re-interpretation of folk song within a contemporary format, including Snakefarm and the Be Good Tanyas, the Anglo/American side of the folk-rock cannon has been somewhat forgotten. In this light, multi-instrumentalists Steve Lehto and John Wright infuse their craft with a modicum of invention and attack. The use the heavy guns with scorching remakes of "Arthur McBride and the Sergeant" and "Waist Deep in the Big Muddy," all barely repressed anger, heightened by equal doses of Fairport electricity and Seattle Grunge. Tenderness and subtlety is not beyond their reach in The Lament for Limerick. Lehto and Wright produce a tight, seasoned yet compact sound, offering a fresh blast of inventive folk-rock American style.
Dirty Linen
Finally for this month, one more to rock out with. The Minneapolis duo Lehto and Wright has recoreded another mighty collection of well chosen British and American songs and dance tunes called The Further Adventures of Darling Corey. Steve Lehto is a master of assorted electric and acoustic guitars, with a raucous, skirling style on the former and a contrastingly delicate, harmonious touch on the latter. John Wright plays ominous-sound bass, often as a second lead instrument, as well as acoustic guitars and percussion. Wright is also the duo's potent, girtty-voiced lead singer. They growl and bang their way through the Irish song "Arthur McBride and the Sergeant" in a manner remiiscent of fellow Minnesotans Boiled in Lead, give Pete Seeger's "Waist Deep in the Big Muddy" an angry reading influenced by Dick Gaughan, and blast through "The Monaghan Jig" with a bass lead that gives way to guitar pyrotechnics. There are some quiet tracks too, like Lehto's eloquent, mournful acoustic arrangement of "The Lament of Limerick." Highly recommended for anyone who's not afriad of the effects of amplification.
All Music Guide
This album continues in much the same manner as Lehto & Wright's 2000 offering Ye Mariners All. Exceptionally talented on guitars and bass respectively, Steve Lehto and John Wright evoke memories of arguably the strongest period in Fairport Convention's storied career: their early 70s period, particularly 1970's Full House. That is, when this duo decides to play electric folk. The hitch is that Lehto & Wright are such fine acoustic musicians and interpreters of tradition that they dutifully need to devote as much album space to acoustic fingerpicking as rock & roll. With a vast reservoir of folk songs from the US and UK this duo is capable at arranging as well, giving new life to obscure and well-known traditional songs alike. The gaps are filled in with Nick Drake interludes and brief original compositions. While it would be easy to declare Lehto & Wright the American Fairport Convention or the equivalent of Ashley Hutchings meets John Renbourn there is so much more involved here like the John Fahey and Ian Anderson influences or the amorphous Band allusions that crop up intermittently. The latter might simply be explained because of the historic liner images coupled with the occasional North American folk selections. Regardless, this is a superb collection of folk and folk-rock that fans of all the aforementioned artists are bound to appreciate.
Folk World CD Reviews
I already praised John Wright's (acoustic guitar, bass, mandolin, vocals) solo effort (-> FW#17). Again, I'm very pleased. His partnership with Steve Letho (acoustic and electric guitars, mandolin, vocals) even increases the amount of pleasure (-> FW#18). The duo from Minneapolis plays electrified Celtic/English folk in the Steeleye Span idiom, at times a bit bizarre. Some traditional ballads, "Arthur McBride", "Darling Cory", some contemporary songs, some tunes. "Trouble with Strings" was written out of frustration while learning The Monaghan Jig. The thought was to write a guitar tune as opposed to a fiddle tune. The "Monaghan Jig" then is played on the bass guitar. "Nancy Whiskey" (in 4/4 instead waltz time) is very powerful; even the odd "Kisses Sweeter than Wine" becomes a real gem. It's not my thing to become eloquent and produce silly words, so I'm finishing off here and now. Just get it! —Tom Kamphans
The Greenman Review, 12/19/02
Further Adventures of Darling Cory is Lehto and Wright's second album, the first being Ye Mariners All. The first time I played this album, it put me in mind of Little Johnny England and Show of Hands, as the guitar styles are very similar. Nothing wrong with that, and if you are a fan of either of those bands, you will be sure to love this album, for it is brilliant.
For the benefit of the uninitiated, maybe on the east side of the Atlantic who have not yet heard of Lehto & Wright, let me introduce you. Steve Lehto and John Wright, a folk rock duo, are the basis of the band on the album. They come from the "Twin Cities" of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota in the US (music editor's note: my home town!). They have been playing as a duo, or a trio when they add Matt Jacobs on drums, for about 3 years. Matt joins the duo on drums for most of the tracks on this album, but apart from the occasional guest musician, the principals multitrack the other instruments mixing acoustic and electric guitar, mandolin and fretless bass.
From this you will deduce that this very much a studio production, but Lehto and Wright are nevertheless both extremely talented musicians. Understandably they will be greatly revered by other musicians. John Wright plays acoustic guitar, bass, and mandolin. Steve Lehto plays acoustic and electric guitar, and mandolin. Wright takes all the lead vocals and has a fine voice, while the harmonies by Lehto work very well. It is to their credit that Lehto & Wright are futuristic and not afraid of trying new or different effects, one of which is a back delayed echo effect on the vocals of the songs 'Arthur McBride and the Sergeant', and 'Waist Deep in the Big Muddy'. This may not be to everyone's liking at first, but the more I listened to it, the more acceptable it became. This is my only tiny criticism of a near perfect album.
Lehto & Wright show a spirited and aggressive style to their arrangements. Most are traditional English, Irish and American songs and dance tunes, often played with an intuitive sharpness on acoustic instruments then rising with a passion using the electric guitar and fretless bass. This is demonstrated beautifully by three of the tracks: the medley of 'Gan Ainm, The Three Little Drummers, The Trouble with Strings', the song 'Flora' and 'The Monaghan Jig', which starts with John playing the lead on a fretless bass before the other instruments come in. It really is a superb arrangement. The album takes its title from the song 'Darling Cory', an old Weavers classic. Lehto & Wright's arrangement is somewhat livelier, to say the least, with a rock treatment.
There is plenty of variation on this album. Following 'Darling Cory' is a beautiful slow tune 'The Lament for Limerick' played by Steve Lehto on acoustic guitar, with some double tracking towards the end using the mandolin and harp guitar. Lehto plays solo again on another track with the traditional Scottish tune 'Loch Lomond'. this serves as a back drop for the medley 'The Yellow Wattle', An Phis Fliuch', and 'The Mountain Road'. It all works very well with the first two tunes played on electric guitars with just a little bit processing and distortion.
To add even more variation to Darling Cory, at track 14 is a nice acoustic arrangement of 'Kisses Sweeter Than Wine' sung by John Wright. This is followed by 'Handsome Johnny / The Humours of Whitegate'. The last song finds Wright with acoustic guitar singing 'Her Washbin', and then the album bows out, as it started, with some mood music called 'Horn'. It's very clever really, as it leaves you wanting to hear more --the best way to leave an audience!
Conclusion: this is a well-thought-out, nicely-produced album, with good material that is very well played and sung. In short it is a very entertaining album. It exudes that magic that makes this reviewer want to see the band perform live, but if that's not possible, I will certainly be looking forward to their next album. This album is a benchmark that will influence others. Get it as soon as you can. [Peter Massey]