A coming-of-age third album * * * *
THE TIN MAN is British singer-songwriter Dan Webster’s third album release and perhaps his finest moment to date. A coming-of-age where his song-writing, arrangements and performance all match in quality. A seasoned touring performer, influenced by the sounds and storytelling traditions of American and British Folk music, Dan has been described as “A hybrid of Damien Rice, Seth Lakeman and Tom McRae”.
THE TIN MAN is a follow up to 2008’s DIAMOND LAND, which won him spins on BBC Radio 2. His low key debut, THE OTHER SIDE OF BRIGHTNESS, came out in 2003. He released a five-track EP. THE SEA AND OTHER THINGS in September last year.
This new album gives us 11 tracks; seven penned by Dan and two co-writes with Edward Simpson. He comes up with some classy arrangements of the traditional tunes When Johnny Comes Marching Home and British Man of War. Scarborough born and now based in York, Dan took charge of the production; solid and unfussy, with clarity of the vocal spot on. Dan plays acoustic and electric guitars across the album, joined by Grace Hawkins on vocal harmonies for three songs, Rachel Brown on cello and piano, Mark Waters on bass, Yom Hardy on drums and percussion, Pip Joplin on violin, Lloyd Massingham on guitar on two tracks and Ali Lawrence on piano on one. THE TIN MAN may well be filed under folk at first, but there are more layers to delve into on each listen. It explores folk, country and rock and roll, with the overall theme; a conceptual look at life’s journeys.
Dan’s musical journey seems to be on the right road. Come the tail end of 2015, I’m willing to bet that THE TIN MAN will make it on to a fair few ‘Best Of’ lists, and deservedly so.
THE TIN MAN is British singer-songwriter Dan Webster’s third album release and perhaps his finest moment to date. A coming-of-age where his song-writing, arrangements and performance all match in quality. A seasoned touring performer, influenced by the sounds and storytelling traditions of American and British Folk music, Dan has been described as “A hybrid of Damien Rice, Seth Lakeman and Tom McRae”.
THE TIN MAN is a follow up to 2008’s DIAMOND LAND, which won him spins on BBC Radio 2. His low key debut, THE OTHER SIDE OF BRIGHTNESS, came out in 2003. He released a five-track EP. THE SEA AND OTHER THINGS in September last year.
This new album gives us 11 tracks; seven penned by Dan and two co-writes with Edward Simpson. He comes up with some classy arrangements of the traditional tunes When Johnny Comes Marching Home and British Man of War. Scarborough born and now based in York, Dan took charge of the production; solid and unfussy, with clarity of the vocal spot on. Dan plays acoustic and electric guitars across the album, joined by Grace Hawkins on vocal harmonies for three songs, Rachel Brown on cello and piano, Mark Waters on bass, Yom Hardy on drums and percussion, Pip Joplin on violin, Lloyd Massingham on guitar on two tracks and Ali Lawrence on piano on one. THE TIN MAN may well be filed under folk at first, but there are more layers to delve into on each listen. It explores folk, country and rock and roll, with the overall theme; a conceptual look at life’s journeys.
Dan’s musical journey seems to be on the right road. Come the tail end of 2015, I’m willing to bet that THE TIN MAN will make it on to a fair few ‘Best Of’ lists, and deservedly so.